Hail to the Chief
by ThePartyParrot
Summary: October 2016. Ranger invites Steph to help on a very prestigious job. But what happens when everything in both their lives goes wrong? Switches between Steph and Ranger POV, as well as some other characters. Rated M for lots of sexual content.
1. Chapter 1 The Proposal

The Trenton sky was overcast and grey, and the Autumn air had gone past 'crisp' and into 'chilly'. Clouds overhead threatened rain as I scuffled from my POS Camry into the Bonds office. Connie and Lula were there already, sharing a box of donuts and chatting. Lula looked up at me.

"Girl, your hair is _frightening_. You look like Frankenstein's bride if she didn't have that weird white streak."

"It's the humidity," I whined. "I can't keep it down with anything short of superglue in weather like this. Are there any new skips for me?"

Connie passed over a folder. "Here's one. Nothing that will pay the rent, but you might be able to buy a new pair of shoes."

I looked at the file. Marie LaPard had been picked up for shoplifting 16 bags of Halloween candy. A woman after my own heart. Her statement said that last year she had run out of treats, and been both TP'd and egged by neighborhood children. She was terrified it would happen again this year, but her budget couldn't stretch to cover enough candy to satisfy a Burg Halloween. She's gone into a local Target and hid the bags of candy in her outfit while tucked in-between clothing racks. She might have gotten away with it, except a bag of mini Hershey bars had come open and dropped one by one out of her pants leg as she left the store, leaving a trail of chocolaty breadcrumbs for store security to follow into the parking lot.

The one I had outstanding was more likely to be a problem. Robert Carlin, arrested for hitting his wife with a frying pan. He claims he just been turning quickly to put it away after washing it, but the fact that she had been hit in the face, and that a similar thing had happened with a broom handle two months ago meant no one believed him. He also had a history of getting into bar brawls. The bond was high enough to pay all my bills for a couple of weeks, but getting him might be tricky.

Connie looked like she was going to say something, she stopped suddenly as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and the air pressure changed. The scent of Bvgari shower gel wafted towards me, and a warm hand settled on the nape of my neck.

"Babe, can I talk to you?" Ranger whispered in my ear, sending a bolt of heat down my spine and electrifying every nerve ending I had. He was Armani Ranger today, wearing an impeccable suit that probably cost 4 times as much as my car. It fit him perfectly, giving an air of class but not quite hiding the muscle underneath.

I nodded mutely as I followed him out the door, Connie and Lula fanning themselves as we left the office and headed into the ally that served as our semi-private meeting space. Ranger looked at the folder in my hand. "How is your caseload at the moment? Would you be available for a Rangeman job the next few days?"

"I've got two skips. One shouldn't be any trouble, the other one I could use some help on. Robert Carlin, domestic violence. Known to have a nasty temper when drunk. Or Sober."

Ranger nodded. "I'll send Lester to help with Carlin. I'd do it myself, but I have planning meetings for the next 12 hours."

I nodded. "Do they have to do with the job?" Sure, Ranger always planned everything down to the tiniest detail, but 12 hours straight seemed like a lot, even for him.

He gave a slight nod, then suddenly my back was to the wall and he was pressed against me. His fingers gently ran through my hair, pulling the wild mess beck. His lips brushed against my cheek, then he nibbled the shell of my ear. I arched my back as he whispered to me, but I was so distracted by his presence that I can't have heard him right.

"Wait, you want me to what?" I asked breathlessly.

He pulled back and his lips twitched. For Ranger that was the equivalent of a face splitting grin. "How would you like to guard the President, Babe?"


	2. Chapter 2 The Explination

Ranger's POV

I looked down at Steph, immensely enjoying the look of shock on her face. I reached out with one finger and gently closed her mouth, which had dropped open in astonishment. It's not often I get to surprise her quite so much. This was fun.

She punched me in the arm. It didn't budge me at all, and I let my slight smile creep up fractionally more.

"Don't tease me like that. What the hell do you mean guard the president? I'm pretty sure there's a whole agency to do that."

 _Dios, she looked sexy when she was annoyed_. Inwardly, I wanted to pin her to the wall again and take her right there. Outwardly, I just shrugged slightly. "The Secret Service has its limits. They are set up to protect the president and a few other government officials, either in Washington or while they are traveling on official business. We're only three weeks out from an election, every high powered government official is on the campaign trail doing rallies. They are spread thin. So they bring in people from other government agencies. The people at the metal detectors are often TSA agents, for instance."

She still looked skeptical, so I continued, trying very hard not to stare at her lips, still slightly open in shock. "Rangeman has been contracted to help with a rally in Philadelphia on Halloween, a little more than a week before the election. It will be outside, in an open space that will be very difficult to secure. At the same time, the Secretary of State will be holding a rally in Harrisburg, and the Vice President in Virginia. So most Federal agents in the region will be needed at one or another of them that day. Frankly, the Secret Service needs everyone it can get.

Steph still looked skeptical. "But why would you want me help guard the President? You guys have years of training. I keep my gun in the cookie jar!"

I chuckled at that. I love how she makes me laugh, and I love watching what my laugh does to her. Her eyes dilated, turning the blue almost to indigo. I couldn't stop myself from nuzzling her temple with my nose. "That's one of the reasons I'll need you all week. You'll have to spend more time at the gun range. I need you comfortable with your gun. But what I want you for is your intuition, and your ability to blend in with a crowd. Guys like Tank and Cal stand out."

She giggled at the idea of Cal, with his flaming skull tattoo, trying to blend into a crowd. "I don't know, on Halloween Cal might be able to pull it off. Do _I_ get to wear a costume?"

I glanced at my watch. I had a meeting in 10 minutes back at Rangeman with the Secret Service advance team. "What did you have in mind?"

She got an evil grin on her face. "Well, I had been planning on being Wonder Woman, but now I'm thinking sexy Secret Service agent." A picture flashed through my mind of her in a tight, short skirt, low-cut blouse, and thigh-high boots. If I didn't get out of here now I would be late for my meeting. In fact, if I kept thinking about that costume I would drag her back to my Cayenne and would be _very_ late for my meeting.

"I have to go Babe. Go catch your chocolate thief, I'll have Lester meet you at the police station to get Carlin. After that, report to Rangeman for target practice." I gave her one last hungry kiss, then hurried to my Porsche, trying to move gracefully despite the tightness in my pants that I desperately hoped would be gone by the time I made it back to the office.


	3. Chapter 3

Stephanie's POV

Marie LaPard lived in a small duplex in the Burg. The house was partially obscured much of the year by a tree planted in the sidewalk in front of the porch steps, but soon the brilliant red and yellow leaves would fall, leaving nothing but depressing bare branches. I parked two doors down and rang the doorbell.

I didn't know Marie well, she had been a couple years younger than me in school, but she'd always seemed pleasant enough. The woman who came to the door bore only scant resemblance to the teen I had vaguely known. Her hair was in a rat's nest, her eyes were sunken, and she looked like she hadn't slept in a week. She was wearing a nightgown and ratty bathrobe. Both she and her clothes looked like they hadn't been washed in a week.

"Marie? It's Stephanie Plum from High School. You missed your court date, you need to come with me to reschedule."

It was my standard line for first time offenders. Sometimes they even believed me.

Marie looked at me with confusion, "Stephanie? I thought you looked familiar. I'm sorry, but I can't leave the house like this."

I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't want to go out in public looking like that either. "What happened?"

She looked like she was about to cry. "Come in, I don't want anyone else to see me."

Normally I would avoid going into a skip's house if I could help it, but I was pretty sure Marie wasn't violent, just embarrassed and cold. I stepped into her living room, which was a carbon-copy of my parents. Except my mother would claw out her eyeballs rather than have a house that looked this bad. Newspapers were laying around, dirty dishes were stacked on the coffee table and couch. Random junk was scattered so thick on the floor I had to be careful where I stepped.

Now, I'm no household Goddess, but this was really bad. And Marie didn't do anything to deserve to be seen in her present condition, and be the butt of jokes for weeks in both the TPD and Burg gossip mill.

Marie valiantly tried to play proper Burg hostess and cleared a plate that was growing something fuzzy off the couch, as well as two books and an umbrella. She sat down on the recently cleaned cusion and offered me the spot on the couch that had recently been the only clear space in the room. She stared at her hands for a moment, then the story burst out of her.

"I guess you know what I was arrested for?" I nodded quickly, hoping that we could get this over quickly so I could meet Lester, capture Carlin, and then go back to Rangeman to train. "Well, the bag of candy that broke open, I was holding it next to my body by putting it in, well, my underwear. And not all of them fell down my leg, some stayed there."

I winced. I had a feeling this would be an unpleasant story.

"So when I was arrested, I had to sit for hours at the police station until I could find someone to bail me out. And the chocolate melted and oozed out of the wrapper and stuck to my skin. So I was sitting there, absolutely mortified, and I had all this goo on me. I was so embarrassed, but I couldn't get properly cleaned up, so I just sat in it. And now even hearing about chocolate brings me right back there and I completely freak out. And normally I'd eat some chocolate to help deal with the stress, but obviously that's out of the question. So now I'm so messed up I can't function, and I've lost my best way to cope!"

I couldn't help but feel bad for her. I imagined what it would be like if Boston Cream donuts started causing me stress. I might implode too.

"What you need is a different stress reliever. How about this, I'll come back in an hour or two, that will give you a chance to shower and change clothes. And I'll bring you some TastyKakes. They always make me feel better. Then we'll go to the courthouse to get you rescheduled."

Marie looked at me with what might have been hope. "No chocolate, right?"

"No chocolate. Butterscotch Krimpets. And if you promise to come without trouble, I'll throw in one of those little peach pies." A brilliant idea struck me. "In fact, I can even have them personally delivered by a really hot guy." That might help ensure that she was actually here when I got back. Frankly, her bond was worth so little I was more interested in getting my caseload clear than the check. I didn't think she'd leave town, but she might decide it was a good time to go see a movie.

I pulled out my phone and flipped through the pictures from my birthday party at Rangeman the week before. Soon I found the one I was looking for. Lester Santos, laughing at a joke Bobby had told him. He was nearly as good looking as Ranger (not surprising, since they were cousins), but he smiled a lot more, and looked much less intimidating unless he was working at being scary. I showed the picture to Marie, who looked at it slack-jawed.

"Is he single?" she asked, intrigued.

I hadn't spoken to Lester in more than 24 hours, so I had no idea of his current relationship status. He went through women at the speed most men went through boxes of their favorite breakfast cereals. He was never cruel, and he never gave the impression he was planning on sticking around. He just had the attention span of a goldfish.

"I'm not sure, but I know he'd be happy to come meet you." I looked around the room. There was no way she could get both it and herself clean in just an hour or two. "How about you meet us at the curb when we get here."

She blushed as she took in the mess. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Call me when you are close. I have to go get cleaned up." She practically bounced up off the couch and walked me to the door.

When I got back to my car I called Lester. "Slight change of schedule. We're going after Carlin, then coming back for Marie. I'll text you the address."

"No problem, Beautiful. I'll see you soon."

"Oh, and Lester? Wear something sexy but not _too_ intimidating. I have a special job for you once we drop Carlin off."

I swear I could hear him grin on the other end of the phone.


	4. Chapter 4

Robert Carlin lived in a middle class neighborhood not far from the button factory where he worked. I arrived there a few minutes after I left Marie's house, and waited in my car for Lester to show up. Normally I would go in on my own, but doing that had a nasty tendency to land me rolling garbage, and I didn't want to show at Rangeman looking like that. It might be hard to convince the Feds I was worthy of providing security to the First dog, let alone the president, if I had scrambled eggs and coffee grounds in my hair.

Lester showed up 5 minutes after I did. He parked his black SUV across the street from me and got out, leaning against the rear door while grinning at me.

He had followed my instructions to a T. While still in all black, he wasn't wearing cargoes and a t-shirt like usual. Instead he was in slacks and a black Oxford shirt. The shirt still clung to his muscles, but he gave off an air of being a businessman who spent a lot of time at the gym, instead of a badass former special forces security specialist. The only thing about his outfit that hinted at his true profession was the black utility belt that I knew would contain a gun, a knife, pepper spray, and a Taser.

I gave him a visible once over, and showed my appreciation with a small golf clap. He strode over to me, wiggling his eyebrows. "Hey Beautiful. To what do I owe the pleasure of your wardrobe request? Have you finally decided to dump the cop and let me take you away from all this?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's Morelli's desire to take me away from my current life that causes us the most stress. Besides, you know Ranger would hunt you down to the ends of the Earth."

Lester nodded. Honestly, we both knew that all the flirting was just play. He might be almost as good looking as Ranger, and far more lighthearted, but I had enough men in my life. Adding one more might cause me to spontaneously combust.

"Well then Beautiful, let's get this show on the road. What did the guy do?"

"Hit his wife with a frying pan."

Lester's ever present grin dropped from his face. He may have killed before, but hitting someone you were supposed to love? Someone weaker than you? That was different story. Carlin would really be wise to let me take him in quietly.

I strode up to the door and banged on it. He worked second shift at the button factory, so he should be home. After 30 seconds, I banged again. Lester was standing a few feet behind me, but out of sight of any peepholes or windows. After the third try, the door was yanked open by a surprised looking Robert Carlin. He looked like I'd rousted him out of bed; his eyes were blurry and he was in sweatpants and a wife-beater. Oh the irony.

"Mr. Carlin? I represent your bail bondsman. You missed your court date, you have to come with me to reschedule."

He looked at me for a moment, then tried to slam the door. Luckily I learned a long time ago to get my boot in the door as soon as it opened. It bounced back after slamming into my CAT boots, making a slight 'sproing' sound. I pushed my way into the house and grabbed the collar of his shirt. He reached his arm back to take a swing at me, and I pulled down on the shirt while lifting my knee. His forehead slammed into it, dazing him. I pushed him onto the ground and got my knee into his back, ignoring the pain on my patella that meant I would probably end up with quite a bruise the next day. Pulling handcuffs from my pocket, I secured his arms behind his back, then looked up when I heard clapping.

" _Nice_ job Bomber," Lester praised. "Couldn't have done it smoother myself."

I smiled back at him. "Thanks for helping to train me in hand-to-hand combat. Seems it came in handy."

Carlin groaned from the floor, and I reached down to yank him to his feet.

"Oh, let me have the honors, Beautiful?" Lester asked. "You took him down so well I didn't get to rough him up at all."

I laughed a bit at that, then stepped back, making a 'he's all yours' gesture. Lester grabbed Carlin's arms and yanked up roughly, straining his shoulders as he yelped and struggled to his feet. "Your car or mine?" Lester said, pushing Carlin out the door.

"Put him in yours. I have to make a quick stop at WaWa before we get to Marie's house. I'll meet you in the parking lot, then we can head to the station."

Lester nodded. "Get me a coffee will you?" Then he shoved Carlin out the door, who desperately tried to keep his feet under him as he stumbled out.

I closed the door, twisting the knob lock so the house would be more secure, and practically skipped back to my car. I got in, and I heard a distinct grunt as Lester shoved Carlin into the SUV, banging his shoulder hard against the frame.

I have heard other parts of the country don't have WaWas. They don't know what they are missing. It's an awesome convenience store, with Fee-Free ATMs, a deli counter, fruit smoothies, premade snacks and lunches of both the healthy and unhealthy variety, chocolate pudding with bits of cookie dough to mix in, their own line of drinks, and almost every store has a large display of TastyKakes.

I grabbed a box of Butterscotch Krimpets and a peach pie, then wandered over to the baked goods shelf. Marie's story about the chocolate melted in her underwear made the Boston Creme's look far less appetizing than usual, so instead I grabbed a cream filled coffee cake muffin. A quick stop at the coffee section and the pay counter and I was out the door.

Lester was waiting in the lot for me as I came out. Somehow he had managed to get a prime spot right in front, despite the lot being mostly full. He rolled down the window and I handed him his coffee.

"Thanks Beautiful. What flavor did you get me?"

"Cuban roast, of course. What else would I get you?" I bit into my muffin, hoping to keep the inevitable crumbs outside of my car.

Lester laughed. Then reached out to wipe a bit of the cream off my nose. I froze at the touch, and he did too.

"I'll meet you at the station, OK?" I said quickly, then scampered back to my car, wondering if the butterflies in my stomach were nerves from my upcoming job, or something else.


	5. Chapter 5

Marie's POV

I can't believe this is my life. I made one little mistake. ONE! And now I'm a fugitive from the law. But not a cool fugitive like Harrison Ford. No, I'm the fugitive who gets depressed, stops leaving the house, and sees a schoolmate for the first time in more than a decade while looking like she was kidnapped by wildebeest and has been roaming the plains, surviving on grass.

Yeah. That's my life now.

Honestly, I suppose I'm lucky that it was Stephanie picking me up. I imagine most bounty hunters wouldn't have left me alone so I could shower and change, let alone bring me non-chocolate junk food and apparently a hot guy. I might be going back to the Courthouse, but at least I was keeping my dignity mostly intact.

I had just put the finishing touches on my hair when I got a text from Stephanie that they would be there in a few minutes. I wasn't wearing anything fancy, just nice jeans and a red top, but at least my hair was clean and combed. I'd had to condition it three times to get it into a manageable state, then wash it again to get out all the conditioning residue. By the time I'd finished, I'd had to rush to made sure I was at least halfway decent before leaving the house.

I saw Stephanie pull up in a beaten down Toyota, and a large black SUV park right behind her. I slipped out the door so no one could see my living room, then turned around to lock the house. When I turned back to face the street my breath caught in my throat. Stephanie wasn't kidding, this guy was _seriously_ hot. I tried my best to not look like a complete idiot as I walked to the car, glad I'd picked a pair of basic boots instead of heels.

"Hey Marie. You're looking happier."

I nodded silently, not trusting myself to speak without babbling like a compleat idiot.

"I'll call Vinnie and have him meet us at the courthouse, he can bond you right out again, and you'll be home in a couple hours." I nodded again, then looked up at her.

"Wait, a couple hours? I thought I'd be in and out in a few minutes. Will you stay there with me, how will I get home?" I started to panic a bit. I really needed a sugar hit.

Stephanie seemed to read my mind, so she handed me the WaWa bag. I pulled out a Butterscotch Krimpet and put half of one in my mouth.

The handsome man grinned at me. _Lord, he's even hotter when he smiles_. "I'll take care of it Steph." He pulled a card out of his pocket. It simply said 'Lester Santos', and had a phone number on it. "Call me when you get out, and I'll give you a ride home. You can pay me back by splitting the peach pie with me." Then he whispered in my ear, "I do love to eat peaches. They taste so...sensual."

I'm pretty sure I said something, but I'm also pretty sure it was nonsensical. I got into Stephanie's car, blushing like I hadn't since my prom night when Danny Bartaloski and I had performed some very awkward groping on each other in an attempt to have sex for the first time.

Stephanie smiled at me. "He's charming, but he's a tease. I think he likes you, just don't expect him to stick around."

I decided I could live with that. And all of the sudden I was really glad I'd stolen that chocolate.


	6. Chapter 6

_I'd planned on getting to the smut by this point, but don't worry, it's coming. If you're in a hurry to read some, check out my story "A Sexy Surprise" in the Night Huntress universe. It's a quick story, and you don't have to have read the series to enjoy it. I do highly recommend them though. The main male character, Bones, and Ranger have a fair amount in common. s/12190944/1/A-sexy-suprise_

Stephanie's POV

I sent Vinnie a quick text telling him to meet us at the station so he could get Marie bonded out as soon as possible. Then I crossed my fingers and started the car, hoping against hope it would start properly and we wouldn't have to beg a ride from Lester. He'd be happy to do it, and he was going to follow me anyway, but it would be freakin humiliating.

Marie kept grilling me about Lester the entire drive to the police station. What was he like, what were his hobbies, did he look even better naked than he did clothed. I admitted to some knowledge of the first two, and limited knowledge of the second. I'd never seen Lester naked, but I had seen him working out shirtless and in shorts. He wasn't Ranger level of hot, but that was a bar high enough for a giraffe to limbo under.

"Look, Marie. Have fun with Lester if you want, just don't expect him to stick around for life. Or even a week. He's a flirt and a player, don't let him break your heart."

She glanced at me. "Are you warning me off for my sake, or because you like him?"

Her look wasn't challenging, it was curious. I blushed a little. "My life is complicated enough right now. Lester's great but he's…" I stopped talking. Yeah, I knew Marie a little, but not enough to talk to her about this stuff. She'd been a bit of a gossip in High School. I didn't know if she still was, but I really didn't want my complicated feelings providing more fuel for the Burg grapevine.

"There's someone else," she said sagely. "Lester's great, but you have feelings for someone else." She looked at me again, and I felt a little like I had been stripped bare. She seemed to see right through me.

Luckily, at that point we arrived at the TPD. I jumped out of the car a little faster than was strictly necessary for a capture I bought off with a box of TastyKakes. I opened the door for her, then walked her into the station.

When I had recieved my body receipt I walked back out to the parking lot and approached Lester's car. "Do you want to stay with Marie until she gets out?" I asked, a knowing glint in my eye.

Lester smiled at me, raising one eyebrow in that way that everyone I knew could, except for me. "My job today is to stay with you, Beautiful. Strict orders to assist in your skips so your caseload is clear, and then take you back to Rangeman for target practice."

I nodded, then went back to my car and drove to Haywood, the black SUV trailing behind me.

When I got to Rangeman I went straight to the firing range. My gun was home in the cookie jar, but I knew there would be plenty available. Ranger would be upset, but not surprised, that I wasn't carrying. If I was working for him for the next week, I would have to keep my gun with me. Sometimes I wonder if the only reason he hired me was so he could force me to carry a gun.

I grabbed a Sig Sauer from the gun cabinet and proceed to load it, practicing taking the magazine out and putting it back in 10 times before grabbing ear protectors and goggles. Lester came in after me and grabbed ear & eye protection as well. I spread my legs shoulder width apart, raised my gun, and fired at the paper target.

I had learned how to shoot with a .38 revolver, and was having a little trouble adjusting to the larger gun. It weighed almost twice as much, and my arms ached from holding it up too long. I'm usually a pretty good shot, but my aim goes downhill fast once I get tired.

After emptying the clip, I pushed the button to bring the target close to me. It was a full 6 feet long, and had an outline of a man on it. While I had been aiming at the bullseye on the chest, this guy had holes all over. He looked like he was dressing up as a spaghetti strainer for Halloween.

Lester's POV

Bomber was having trouble with her aim, so I stood behind her to help her with her stance. I put my body against hers to help guide her, first turning her slightly, then adjusting her arms. I swear it was innocent, at least, that was my intention. I just wanted he help her shoot better. But having her pressed up against me, firing a gun while I helped her shoot straight….

I turned my hips slightly so that I could try to hide my body's sudden betrayal. Steph was awesome, she was beautiful and smart and tough as nails, but still kind to everyone at Rangeman. She saw the best in people. A man would have to be crazy to not like her. Or, in the case of my idiot cousin, crazy to love her and not just fucking tell her. Everyone in Trenton knew how he felt about her. You don't spend as much time and money as he does protecting someone you don't love. Hell, he's brave enough to walk into a room knowing he's going to get shot to protect her, but he can't just ask her out for fucking dinner unless he makes it about work.

Steph seemed to sense my change in mood, but kindly ignored my embarrassing reaction. Her aim did improve, though. She wasn't hitting the bullseye all the time, but at least all the holes were in the torso.

After an hour and a half of practice her hands were shaking with exhaustion. She'd improved for the first few clips, but after that she got worse as she struggles to keep her arms up and straight. Still, the point was as much about getting her used to her gun as it was about target practice.

My phone rang and I answered it, though I didn't recognize the number. I had a suspicion who it was.

"Hi, Lester? It's Marie, from earlier."

I grinned. "I remember. How are you doing? Judge decide not to lock you up and throw away the key for Grand Theft Cocoa?"

"Yeah, they're letting me go again. Um, were you serious about giving me a ride home? I mean, I could probably get a friend to pick me up after work or something…."

"No, I'll come get you." Bomber smiled at me. "I'll be there in 10 minutes." I hung up.

Bomber rolled her eyes. "What?" I asked.

"You guys have such terrible phone manners! Have you all always been like this? Did you spend your teenage years hanging up on girls? Or is Ranger just contagious?"

I laughed and threw an arm around her shoulder, kissing the top of her head. "It's an eternal mystery. I'll see you later, Beautiful. I'm sure there are lots of searches upstairs for you, since we're all up to our ears in work with the rally only a couple weeks away."

"Where is it going to be, anyway? I just know an open space in Philly."

"In front of the art museum. If you want, I bet you'd be able to find the time the week before to check the place out. Lots of nudes in there."

She ruffled my hair, then jokingly pushed me out the door. I grinned, then went off to take Marie home. I wondered if she had any plans for dinner. I bet going to jail makes you work up a real appetite for Italian food. Or maybe even Cuban.


	7. Chapter 7

Marie's POV

I stood outside the station, more nervous than I would like to admit. Here I was, getting picked up by the hottest guy I'd seen in a year, and he was meeting me in front of the police station. How utterly embarrassing.

The butterflies in my stomach morphed into galloping lizards as I saw the SUV come around the corner. Lester pulled up, passenger side facing me. He hopped out with surprising grace, then walked around and opened the door for me. He held out a hand to help me up into the seat, then kissed the back of mine before letting it go. I was a little out of practice, but I'm pretty sure that was some heavy duty flirting.

Once we got on the road he flashed me a quick grin. "So, I hope your time in jail hasn't hardened you. You aren't going to shank me if I ask you out to dinner, are you?"

I giggled. Actually giggled! What am I? 10?

"Depends on where you ask to take me. If it's to a decent place, no. Cluck-in-a-bucket? Maybe. I can make a mean toothbrush knife now." This was fun. It's been a long time since I got to be so silly and flirty at the same time.

"Well, I was thinking of asking you to this little Cuban place I know, but I don't want to risk getting stabbed by personal hygiene products."

"That sounds great. What time?"

"I get off work at 6. How about I pick you up at 6:30. That will give me time to shower and get dressed."

"That sounds great, but not like a lot of time. Are you a super-speedy showerer?"

We stopped at a light, and he gave me a look that made my heartbeat speed up and my eyes dilate. "Depends. On my own, yes. With company?" His voice dropped to a husky whisper. "With company I always take my time." He lifted my hand to his lips again, this time letting his tongue slip gently between my fingers, lightly caressing the skin. The sensation made me think about what else his tongue could do, and I started to blush. He smiled as the light turned green and he made a right into the Burg. "Besides, my apartment is in the office, several of us live there for convenience and so we can respond to emergencies quickly."

When we pulled in front of my house, he again opened my door for me and extended a hand to help me down. When I landed on the sidewalk he spun me into a dip, his face inches over mine, looking for permission for a kiss. I lifted my head to his and parted my lips, and his gently pressed into mine. As I opened my mouth more the kiss deepened, and soon I was lost in the sensation of being pressed against this gorgeous man. I ran my hand along his bicep, feeling the rock-hard muscle that didn't seem to be straining at all to hold me up.

I don't know if the kiss lasted a minute or half an hour, but when he straightened up I decided I was _really_ looking forward to tonight.

"I'll see you in a few hours, _querida._ Make sure to wear shoes you can dance in." He got back in the car and headed out, leaving me flustered on the sidewalk.

Something he had said suddenly clicked. "A few hours". Shit! My house was an absolute wreck, and if he lives at work, I didn't know if he would be allowed to bring someone home. And after that kiss, I _really_ wanted to head home with him. It had been months since I'd had sex, and that guy couldn't kiss nearly as well as Lester.

I rushed into the house, and started to clean. Most guys don't care a lot about how a house looked, so I concentrated on just making it a bit less of a health hazard. Dishes in the sink, papers put in the recycling, a quick run through with a vacuum. Then I went upstairs to change clothes and get gussied up.

As he's said, he knocked on my door at precisely 6:30. He looked even better than he did in his work clothes. His hair was still damp from a shower, and he was wearing an indigo dress shirt and black slacks. I was in a bright red dress with a wide skirt for dancing, and solid heels for dancing later. His eyes turned dark when he looked at me, and I could imagine what he must be thinking, because I'm pretty sure I was thinking it too.

When we got to the restaurant I chickened out and decided to skip some of the more exotic dishes. Instead I got beef empanadas. Lester got some dish with rice and chicken that looked pretty good as well. The food was good, but I was more interested in the dancing that took place on the other side of the restaurant. When we had finished our food we headed over to the dance floor. I expected Lester to be a great dancer. I wasn't disappointed.

I was a decent dancer, but had never done the Salsa before. Lester moved like a cat, he had complete control over every muscle in his body and each motion had a quiet grace. He spun me around and dipped me like he had in front of my house, we shimmied and shook. When the music slowed down he wrapped his arms around my waist, and I could feel the bulge that said he was enjoying this as much as me. I was having a lot of fun, but I was tired of waiting.

I whispered in his ear, "I'm having a great time, but let's go back to my place." His eyes grew black, and he kissed me, then rushed to our table, threw a hundred down, grabbed my purse, then took my hand as we raced back to his car.


	8. Chapter 8

_This chapter is all smut, no plot. If you don't enjoy that kind of thing, feel free to skip it. All you're missing? Marie and Lester get along quite well. For the rest of you (_ Lots _of Lester fans out there), enjoy. :)_

Marie's POV

We had barely gotten through my door when our hands were all over each other. I worked to undo the buttons of his shirt while he yanked at the zipper on my back. He pulled back for a second, framing my hands in his face. "Do you want this as much as I do? I don't want to pressure you. I'll stop if you ask."

I responded by pulling his face to mine and kissing him even harder. Then I felt my body being lifted up like I was no heavier than a child and he carried me up the stairs. I gestured to my bedroom, and soon was deposited on the sheets.

"I hope that was OK, but once we get started I don't want to stop, and you deserve better than a couch."

I responded by pulling my dress off. He removed his shirt and _holy shit_ did he look good without it. His muscles rippled with each movement. No wonder he could pick me up so easily, I bet he could lift a horse if necessary. My hands trailed down his chest, pinching the nipples. He moaned and proceeded to lay a trail of kisses down from my lips, to my pulsepoint, to my collarbone. With one hand he reached behind my back and deftly undid my bra. Meanwhile I was digging my fingers into the hard muscles of his back, sliding them down almost to his ass, which I suspected would be spectacular.

His mouth clamped on my nipple and I arched my back as he started to suck gently. My fingers scrambled to get to his belt, and I fumbled to undo the buckle without seeing it. I could feel the fabric straining against him, and I was aching to have him inside me.

He switched to my other nipple, and helped me by undoing the button and carefully lowering the zipper, then kicking the pants off. I had to stretch to reach him, but once I got my right hand around his cock he started to moan. "Oh, _querida_ , that feels amazing." His lips left my breast and trailed down further, marking every inch or so with a small kiss. As he scooted down he slipped out of my reach, so I ran my fingers through his hair instead. I gasped for air as he took my button in his mouth, exploring it with his tongue.

My breath was coming faster, and I moaned at the sensation. He took one finger and gently probed me, pushing in and swirling his finger around. I was so wet I must be drenching him, and soon another finger joined the first. Then a third. I was aching with pleasure, and wanted to return the favor.

"Oh, Lester. That feels go good," I gasped out. "I want to return the favor. Let's pleasure each other." His eyes looked up at me, though his tongue didn't stop doing its magic. They were filled with lust and longing. He pulled away for just a moment, though it felt like a lifetime.

"Are you sure? You aren't obligated to do anything. This turns me on so much, _querida_." He said while curling his fingers inside me and resuming his ministrations.

"Get over here." I practically growled.

He rotated his body so his torso lined up with mine, and turned us both onto our sides. He lay his head on my thigh as he nuzzled me, his face slick with my juices. I stared at his cock, throbbing with excitement. It wouldn't all fit in my mouth, but I took the head in my lips and ran my tongue along the ridge. He shuddered as I touched him, and he muttered something I couldn't understand, either because it was in Spanish or because his voice was muffled by my pussy.

I gripped the base of his dick and gave it several strong strokes, lapping at the salty precum that was dribbling from him. He groaned again, and pushed into me harder. It became a feedback loop of pleasure, the more he stroked me, the more I stroked him. Pressure built up inside me, and I clamped down my legs as an orgasm exploded through me, trapping his head. He went along for the ride, never stopping his movements. I tried to stay aware enough not to bite down on him, but I did graze him with my teeth slightly. I kept licking as the waves crashed over me, until I heard him mumble, " _Dios, querida_. I can't hold it in any longer!" He tried to turn his hips away to pull himself from my mouth, but I held him where he was, sucking on him until he exploded into me.

I pulled on him to get the last few spurts, then looked down at his face. He was smiling widely, looking utterly content. Then he came up and kissed me, mingling our juices together, the salty and the sweet. "That was amazing, _querida,_ " he said, his voice husky and breathless. "And now, how about I show you just how slow I take it in the shower?

This was turning out to be a pretty good night.


	9. Chapter 9

Stephanie's POV

 **A few hours earlier**

After a long session at the range I was actually looking forward to sitting at a desk for a few hours. My hands and shoulders were aching, and I wanted to do something that wouldn't involve upper body strength for a while.

As usual my inbox was filled with search requests for Rodriguez. I'd never actually met the man, but he accounted for about 80% of my workload at Rangeman. I wasn't sure if I should hate him or thank him for the fact that I'd been able to pay my rent some months. I worked for a few hours, grabbing a snack from the kitchen when I started to get hungry.

My cell rang as I settled back into my desk. I held it to my shoulder as I ate with one hand and typed with another. "Hello?" I asked, my mouth full of sandwich.

"Hey, Cupcake. What you up to tonight? Want to grab dinner?"

"You must have read my mind. I'm starving, but I have something I want to finish up before I leave." An idea struck me. "Want to watch a movie? I'm having an urge to see Rocky."

Joe seemed surprised at that. "Sure Cupcake. I'll pick up subs and grab the DVD and Bob from home. Bob misses you, so do the boys." I rolled my eyes at that. Talking about his genitals like they were separate people was a little creepy.

"OK, see you around 8?"

"Got it Cupcake. See you soon." He hung up. I looked at the clock. Still an hour before I needed to leave, time enough to do one more search.

I started to work, and must have gotten really involved in what I was looking at. Suddenly I realized it was 7:50, and I'd have to rush if I wanted to get home in time. I grabbed my things (including my gun, since Ranger insisted I carry when I was working for him), and raced to the elevator. I actually considered taking the stairs, since that would mean I wouldn't have to wait, but the elevator dinged and I rushed inside. I pressed the button to go to the parking garage, and jiggled my foot as I waited to descend.

I managed to get home just 5 minutes late. Morelli and Bob were waiting for me in my kitchen. He looked a little annoyed at my lateness, but I didn't feel too bad. He had a key, it wasn't like he had to wait out in the hall.

I grabbed a roll of paper towels and set up plates on the coffee table. "Did you bring the movie?"

"Yeah. Kind of surprised you want to watch a boxing movie. Normally you just want to watch Ghostbusters"

"There's a scene in there I want to look at." I popped the DVD into the player and settled in for dinner and a movie.

After a while my shoulders started to ache. "Joe, can you give me a neck rub?"

"Sure, Cupcake. Sit in front of me."

I settled down between his legs. He began to massage my sore shoulders, working the tension out of the tired muscles. I'm also pretty sure he agreed because it would give him a good look down my shirt.

"You've got a lot more knots here than usual. You doing pushups like Rocky today?" The training montage had begun, the part I really wanted to see. Rocky running, Rocky doing one armed pushups, and Rocky climbing the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, where I would be guarding the President. I grabbed the remote and paused it, then rewound and watched again, getting a feel for the space, where threats could come from, entrances and exits. I watched it 4 times, absorbing every detail I could. That wasn't all that much, especially with footage so old, but it gave me a way to visualize the space before I went there.

I realized Morelli wasn't rubbing my shoulders anymore. I looked up and he was staring quizzically at me. "Cupcake, why are you staring at Sylvester Stallone?"

"I'm not. I'm looking at the area around the Art Museum."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Taking up architecture as a hobby?"

"No. I have a job there in a couple weeks." He continued to look skeptical. "The President is having a rally in front of the Art Museum on Halloween. There are so many rallies going on in the region that the Secret Service is stretched thin and bringing in Rangeman to help with security. Since some of the men have criminal records, I get to be one of the guards."

Morelli was silent for a full 15 seconds, then burst out laughing. "You? You, are going to guard the President?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What's so funny about that?"

He kept laughing. "Oh Cupcake, the President who has been the subject of more threats than any in history, has you for security. This country is in a lot of trouble. "

I stared at Morelli. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You should be excited for me."

"Cupcake, this is about Manoso trying to get in your pants and nothing more. I can see _him_ getting a contract, but I can't see the Eastern Seaboard's worst bounty hunter being allowed within a half mile of the President, let alone on his security detail. You attract disaster. He may end up getting hit by a meteor or something."

I pulled away and stared at Morelli. I stared a long time, and I saw something, something I should have seen years ago. Morelli was never going to support me in what _I_ wanted to do. He claimed to love me, but he cut me down at every opportunity. It was little things. The biting comments, the subtle put-downs, the gaslighting. I wanted to fly, and he wanted to tie me down.

"I think you should leave." I whispered.

"Oh come on, Cupcake. You know as well as I do that this is insane."

"I'm not kidding, Joe. I want you to leave."

"Dammit Steph. Look, how about I make it up to you. I bet I can make you happy." He wiggled his eyebrows at me and reached for my breasts.

I pushed him away. "Get your hands off me and get out. I mean it."

Morelli crossed his arms and sat back on the couch. "No, this is just some crazy scheme by Manoso to get you into bed, and you can't see it. There is no way the Secret Service will put you on staff, contractor or not."

"Fine. Stay. But I'm leaving." I got up, dodging his hands as he reached for me. I grabbed my purse and went out the door, Morelli cursing up a storm and Bob howling behind me.

I went downstairs to the parking lot and got into my car, not sure where I was going, but needing to be away. My first thought was to go to my parent's house, but it was past 9 at night, and I didn't have the energy to stand up to my mother's questions. I could go to Lula's, but her place was tiny and she snored like a bulldozer in need of a tune-up.

There really was only one place to go. I put on my turn signal and headed for Haywood.


	10. Chapter 10

Ranger's POV

It had been a long 12 hours. I'd been meeting with the Secret Service advance team to plan security. The open space was both a help and a hindrance. There wasn't a place for an assassin to hide to get off a shot for a quarter mile, and the rooms facing the park at the closest hotel would be reserved for security, campaign staff, and other people we had control over.

The main problem was that while there wasn't a good place for an assassin to hide, there also wasn't a good place to put rooftop security snipers. The Art Museum had a sharply pitched roof, the only way to have someone up there would be to have them suspended by ropes. They would be highly visible, and the sight of rooftop snipers tends to make a crowd nervous.

We had decided to make a temporary structure of scaffolding that would serve as both a platform for security, and a safe place for the President to both enter and exit. We had gone over the staff from Rangeman who would be working the event. They had expressed some surprise at Stephanie, since she had no military or police background, but I told them about her uncanny instincts for sensing when something was out of place. She would be working the crowd, looking for people who might be a threat.

Luckily Frank, one of my newest hires, backed me up on my selection. Frank had been with the Secret Service until 6 months ago. The Sequester meant that he had taken a pay cut, and he had a large family to support, including an ailing mother. Private security paid better, had more flexible hours, and Trenton was far cheaper to live in DC. He had helped us get the contract for the event, and knew the guys still with the agency that we were working with.

"Well, Gentlemen, I believe this has been a productive day. I'll see you in three days in Philadelphia. We can do more then." We shook hands, and I took the stairs, leaving the elevator for our guests.

As I was taking the stairs anyway, I decided to make a quick stop at my office to grab some paperwork. This project would eat up a tremendous amount of staff time, so I wanted to get a jump on the workload.

I passed Binkie looking at the monitors. "Anything unusual going on?"

"Nothing much, except that Bomber is in the gun range."

I stopped at that news. "Alone?" I asked. Babe hated using guns, generally one of us had to drag her in there. I looked at the monitor. It was Steph alright. The floor around her was littered with shells, and there were empty boxes of ammo on the shelf in front of her, as well as a stack of full ones. Something must be off, there was no other explanation for her being in the range at 2200 hours.

"How long has she been there?" I asked Binkie.

"Almost an hour. Came in a little after 2100."

"How did she look? Was she upset?"

"Not sure. She didn't look at the camera much. Had her hair down until she got in there, it covered her face enough to hide any emotions. I figured if she wanted that privacy, I would give it to her."

I nodded, then headed for the range myself. If Steph was here this late, she had a reason.

Normally I rather enjoy sneaking up behind Steph. Having her turn around to face me in the chest, or watching her realize I'm there a moment before I put my hand on her neck is often the highlight of my day. But I know far better than to creep up on someone who is upset and holding a gun. So I looked through the small window in the door to the range until she ran out of bullets, and opened the door while she ejected the magazine to reload.

"Babe." I said, louder than usual because of the ear protection. She looked over at me, and I saw the tension on her face fall away, then suddenly return. She pulled off her earmuffs and shook her hair loose.

"Hey Ranger. I hope you don't mind, I needed some stress relief."

I stepped towards her, resisting the urge to pick her up, press her against the wall, and bury myself in her. Instead I brushed her hair back gently behind her ear.

"Is there a reason for this late night visit? Shouldn't you be home eating junk food with Morelli?"

The instant I said his name I regretted it. As it left my mouth, I realized I didn't want to talk about him. I didn't want to remind her of him, it was always thought of him that made her pull away from me.

And a second later it got worse. The lines a the edges of her eyes tightened, and she closed them, turning her head away. I gently put a finger under her chin to guide her to look at me. "Babe?"

She shook her head and started to reload the magazine. "Babe, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she whispered, fumbling with the bullets. I surreptitiously pushed the button on my key fob to scramble the camera. This could get ugly, and she wouldn't want Binkie watching.

It was at that point I noticed the target she was shooting at. I pushed the button to bring it in, and nearly choked trying not to laugh. It had started as our standard 6 foot outline of a man, but Stephanie had drawn it with a Sharpie. Now it had dark hair a shade too long, a sardonic grin, and a speech bubble with a crude picture of a cupcake on it. And where the crotch would be, there was nothing but a giant hole. It seems Stephanie had gotten better with her SIG p250. Assuming she hadn't ever missed the target completely, every bullet had hit its mark, even if that wasn't the standard bullseye in the torso.

"Relationship issues?" I asked. It was a rhetorical question. The late hour, the attempt to hold back tears, and the castrated paper Morelli all made that pretty obvious. "Want to talk about it?"

She bit her lip. Then asked quietly "Why did you ask me to do that job this morning?"

I blinked at her. "Because you're smart, you have good instincts, and I trust you completely. And Babe, you know there's only a few people I trust in this world. Most of them I served with. A couple of family members. And you. That's it. So why wouldn't I bring you in on an important job?"

She whispered something so low I couldn't hear her. "Babe?"

She spoke up a little, the words coming fast, like the was trying to get them over with. "Morelli said it was just a way for you to try to get in my pants. That I was the worst bounty hunter on the Eastern Seaboard, that I attract disaster, and that the President would probably get hit by a meteor, so no one in their right mind would let me near him."

I was shocked. How could he claim to love her, but say those things? I pulled her into my arms, stroking her hair as she sobed. I murmured softly to her in Spanish, knowing she couldn't understand me, but desperately wanting to comfort her.

 _Lo siento, Babe. No tendría que haber dicho esas cosas a ti. Eres brillante e inteligente y amable y la luz de mi mundo. Te quiero mucho. Las estrellas están en sus ojos, y que idiota tiene la cabeza en el culo si no puede verlo._ (I'm sorry, Babe. He shouldn't have said those things to you. You are brilliant and smart and kind and the light of my world. I love you so much. The stars are in your eyes, and that idiot has his head up his ass if he can't see it.)

It's funny how I can actually tell her I love her when I know she can't understand me. Sometimes I tell her when I'm watching her sleep. Sometimes I tell her when I'm looking at her trackers. But I can't seem to tell her when she's actually in the room with me. At least not in a way that she'll understand.

I nuzzled her hair. It smelled of her shampoo and gunpowder. An unusual mix, to be sure, but the perfect perfume to drive me wild. _Get control of yourself Manoso._

I knelt down on one knee to look up her, holding her hands in mine. "Babe, are you going to be OK?

She closed her eyes and turned her head away from me, but didn't pull her hands away. "Yeah, I'm just so tired of never feeling like I can do anything right. He's always putting me down."

"Always?" I thought back to all the times I had seen Morelli with her after a car blew up, or she got kidnapped, or a skip got rough. He's never been as kind and supportive as I'd have thought he should be, but a lot of that I chalked up to him trying to play the Alpha Male when I was around. I figured he was gentle, softer, when they were alone. I knew Stephanie brought out that side of me.

"Babe, what do you mean he's always putting you down?"

"It's the little things. Comments about my job, about how I give him ulcers, and why can't I just get a normal job, or marry him and be a housewife like his mother and grandmother and pop out babies."

I put on my 'blank face'. I was angry, hell. I was livid. But I wanted her to keep talking. "Go on, Babe. What else does he say?"

"It's so hard to pin down, because any little comment seems so petty on its own. But put together, and I realize he's been chipping away at my self esteem from the moment we started dating. Hell, from the time we played choo-choo!"

"Choo-choo?" This was a new one.

"Yeah. When I was six and he was eight. We went into his father's garage, I took off my panties, and I was the tunnel and he was the train."

My body went completely rigid. It took all my control to stay calm. "You mean, he crawled between your legs and looked up at you?"

She blushed. "No, his hands were the train. He said he got to be the train because only girls had tunnels."

I was torn between wanting to storm out of the building and team Morelli limb from limb, and wanting to hold her to my chest and never let go.

"I'm so sorry, Babe." She finally looked at me.

"Sorry for what? That I was a slut all the way back in Kindergarten?"

I winced inwardly at her self recrimination. "No, I'm sorry I didn't see what he was doing to you before. What he's doing to you now, what he's been doing to you for 25 years apparently, is NOT OK. It's abuse. It's manipulative, and designed to wear you down so you won't stand up to him."

I stood up and looked deep into those blue eyes that meant the world to me. "If I'd known how he was treating you I would never have sent you back to him." I took a deep breath. It was time to tell her the truth. "It was the biggest mistake of my life, and believe me, I have made many. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought he could give you what you wanted, needed. I thought I had far too much bad Karma to deserve you. I've been kicking myself ever since. But I thought what I had done was bad for _me_. I never realized how much it hurt _you._ "

There. I had said it. I'm not an emotionally expressive guy, but looking into those blue eyes I found myself unable to stop. And that's when she kissed me.

It was hot and deep and full of passion. Her hands wrapped around my back and pulled me desperately close to her. My body responded immediately, my dick pressing hard into her stomach. I wanted so badly to tear off her clothes, but I was determined to do this right.

"Babe," I said, pulling away. She looked at me, hurt in her eyes.

"Don't you want me?" she asked in a soft voice, looking unsure of herself. Morelli had done a real number on her.

"I want you desperately, but not like this. You're vulnerable and emotionally raw, and I can't bear the thought of you thinking I took advantage of you.. If we make love, and you regret it, I don't know what it would do to me."

"Dammit, Ranger. I want this, and I know you do too."

"Oh, trust me Babe, I want it. How about this. You come up to 7 and spend the night. We'll fall asleep in each other's arms. In the morning, we both can think more clearly."

She nodded and wiped away a stray tear. Then she took my hand and we walked to the elevator, me scrambling cameras all along the way. She looked frail and puffy, anyone watching would be able to tell she had been crying.

3 minutes later we were in my apartment. She had kicked off her shoes and gone into my dressing room, emerging wearing one of my t-shirts. I had changed into my black silk boxers. We lay on the bed and she was asleep within 30 seconds. I curled up next to her, my body spooning hers, and wondered how in the world I would be able to keep my hands to myself until morning. Turning away a horny Stephanie was harder than I could have imagined, but I was determined not to fuck this up.

"Te amo, Babe." I whispered as I fell asleep holding her.


	11. Chapter 11

_Recap of last chapter: Ranger finds Steph in the firing range shooting a mock up of Morelli. She reveals the extent to which he's been emotionally abusing her, something the just realized herself. They kiss, and both want more, but Ranger delines to take advantage of her while in such an emotionally raw state. Instead they go to sleep._

Stephanie's POV

I was in a strange dream about wandering in a dark jungle. There was a light ahead, and I was trying to get to it, but there was brush and undergrowth in the way. Then the darkness was pierced by a high pitched beep, filling the forest with a really annoying sound.

I opened my eyes to realize it was Ranger's watch going off. He was gently extracting himself from being wrapped around me, our bodies pressed together and his face in my hair. The clock said it was 4:30 and I was going to go back to sleep when the night before came crashing back. I tightened up as the emotions hit me like a literal punch to the stomach, and I curled up tighter into a ball.

"Babe?" he asked. He sounded concerned. I had so many emotions roiling around in my head and I just couldn't deal with them quite yet. "Babe." He said again, this time more forceful.

I reached my arm back to touch him, my hand landing on his thigh. "I just….I don't think I'm ready to figure out last night yet. I think I have a lot to process." I turned over to face him, our noses barely touching and my forehead pressed against his. I whispered to him "Do you have to go? Can you stay here with me? At least for a little while?"

"Sure, Babe." He wrapped an arm around me and gently rubbed my back. It was comforting and intimate, but not sexual.

I thought about the night before. "Thank you. For last night. For caring for me, for keeping me safe, for letting me know I'm not crazy."

He chuckled lightly. "I don't know if I'd say you aren't crazy. You're here with me, that's not the action of a sane woman." Then his voice sobered. "Aside from caring for me, which I still don't understand, you need to know you're _not_ crazy. I'm so sorry I didn't realize what he was doing to you. I can't ever make up for it, but I can promise it won't happen anymore."

I nodded slightly, then started to cry as I thought back to every hurtful thing Joe had ever said to me. I reached my arm around Ranger and held him to me. The scent of his Bvlgari still clung to him, surrounding me just as much as his body was.

"How could I have been so blind for so long? How did I not notice all the things he said to me? All those subtle little jabs at me. And when something upset me, just blowing me off as being a damned cupcake?"

I looked at Ranger, his eyes just barely visible in the dark room. "Are you actually asking me?" He inquired, hesitantly. It was strange, normally he never hesitates with anything."

"Do you know?" I responded. Did Ranger know me better than I knew myself?

He tilted his head slightly, giving me a gentle kiss. "I have a theory. Morelli interacts with you in much the way your mother does. Your mom loves you, but constantly criticizes your life. So when Morelli does the same thing, you interpret it the same way. Everyone you've loved, aside from your crazy Grandma, has been trying to tie you down your whole life. Since it's all you've ever known, you can't see the shackles."

"Almost."

"Almost, Babe?"

" _Almost_ everyone I have ever loved has tried to tie me down. You don't tie me down, you give me a rope ladder."

"Babe."

'Babe' covered a lot of territory for Ranger. I'm pretty good at reading them usually, this one I wasn't sure of. Hope? Concern? Maybe it didn't matter. He loved me, in his own way. And I loved him, I'd known it since Scrog. Ranger had made it clear he couldn't be what he thought I wanted. But suddenly that didn't matter anymore. I would take him anyway I could. I would take the man I could barely have who lifted me up, rather than the one who tried to keep me by tearing me down.

I ran a hand through his hair, pulling him closer to me. Then I hooked my leg behind his hip and pressed us together. Our lips met, and then I didn't know where my mouth ended and his began. He rolled so that I was on top of him, wrapped his arms around my back, and the world fell away.


	12. Chapter 12

_Sorry about the formatting issue previously! Here it is, the one you've been waiting for. Sorry this took a few days, but I hope you'll agree it was worth the wait. I'd hoped to have this story done by Halloween, but since at the moment I'm working about 17 hours a day, then another couple for writing, I'm working on about 5 hours sleep each night. I have enough plot left that I don't want to cut it short in order to finish quickly. If I keep having long delays, I'll start posting from another story I've already finished._

 _Recap from last chapter: Stephanie and Ranger discuss the fallout from her realizing how much of an emotionally abusive asshole he is. Ranger points out that Joe's abuse is so similar to how her mother treated her that she interpreted insults as love, and that she would rather be with the person who has always supported her, even if she can only have a little of him._

Ranger's POV

Stephanie and I have a long, complicated, and far too sparse sexual history. There was the night I bargained for by helping her capture Eddie DeChooch. I'd been trying to find a way through the sexual tension, and I thought making that bargain might break the ice. It was not a nice move, but as I've told her more than once, I'm not a nice guy. At least, I didn't used to be.

Sleeping with her didn't get her out of my system like I'd hoped. Instead it burrowed her deeper in. Like an idiot I told her to fix her relationship with the cop, and then suddenly I realized she'd been within my grasp, and I hadn't just let her slip away, I'd dropped her like a hot shell casing.

Then there was the Vordo. Some weird Italian voodoo that Babe said Morelli's Grandma Bella put on her to make her horny. I had never properly thanked Grandma Bella for that; I should have sent her that gift. That time in an alley in my Turbo is probably the most vulnerable I've ever let myself get while having sex. Broad daylight, in a confined space, with my back to Stark Street. But after wanting to have her again for months, finally getting a taste of her in my apartment, and her being so ready and willing, there was no way I was going to say no. There was a part of me that didn't care if I got shot in the head if it meant I got to be inside her again.

That recklessness reared its ugly, though satisfying, head again in a broom closet when we were doing a little B&E. I'd tried to not get so turned on, but being pressed up against her was more than even my control could take. In situations like that, it's just the knowledge that she might say no that keeps me from throwing caution to the wind. But we were still so fresh from Hawaii, and our passion overtook us.

And that's the rub. Hawaii. Before that I'm pretty sure I had saved her life more times than I had made love to her. And there had always been the wolf of the real world, baying at the door. She was in danger from some psychopath, or she was on a break from Morelli that I knew from experience would be temporary. But in Hawaii we could pretend that we could be together. We had each other all and nothing else pressing on our time. I didn't give a damn about catching the Rug, I just cared that for the first time, I could glimpse what life could be like in some alternate universe far from Trenton. I had spent a lot of time on the beach watching her play in the water, and imagining running away with her. I had enough money and investments that neither of us would ever have to work a day in our lives again. I had the contacts and skills to make us new identities and we could just disappear. Buy some little beach hut on a tropical island and never see the grime of New Jersey again. I'd actually been trying to figure out how to jokingly suggest the plan to her, just to see how she reacted.

We made love like the newlyweds we were pretending to be. And that's what it really was, making love. I'd never felt like that with anyone before, even Rachel during our short marriage. Every other woman had been a distraction for a night, or a week, maybe a month. Even as a kid I wasn't great with emotions, and before too long women always want to know them. But with Stephanie I could relax. She accepted what I could give, and somehow burrowed her way into my heart. And on that beach I finally got to give her all my attention. Noone threatening her, the business in Tank's hands, and Morelli wasn't always there in the background, waiting to dart in and grab her away again. I'd waited too long, though, and it had all gone to shit.

I wouldn't make that mistake again.

I looked up into her blue eyes, her beautiful body sitting astride my stomach. I ran a finger gently along the outside of her leg, from her ankle to her knee to her hip. Her wild hair was a mess of tangles, creating a halo around her head that shone in the dim moonlight. It's cliche to say she looked like an angel, but I'd certainly never seen a more heavenly body.

This is what she's done to me. I'm making stupid puns. And I don't care.

I cupped her hip in my hands, then moved them further up, skimming the bottom edge of the t-shirt, my t-shirt, that she was wearing. Amazing how something that seemed so basic and practical on me was as sexy as Victoria's Secret on her. I might have to have it framed and hung on my wall like a signed jersey. My hands kept creeping up her torso as her breath got faster and shallower.

I felt each rib as I moved my hands up to my goal. It was so tempting to rush this, to bury myself inside her until she screamed. But I was absolutely determined to do this right. So when my hands met her breasts I circled the nipples slowly with my thumbs. Her breath caught in her throat as I played with each nub, one clockwise, one counter-clockwise.

She arched her back, rubbing her clit against my abs. Then she did it again, and again. My stomach was slick with her juices as she slid up my body. I longed to see her, up close. So I slid down the bed until my chin was rubbing her pubic bone. She tore off the t-shirt, freeing her breasts and giving me a fantastic view from her downy black curls to the brown ones on top of her head, and everything in between. I nuzzled her with my chin, bringing in the scent of her, then pushed myself further down.

I started my exploration between her folds, my tongue caressing, exploring, probing, separating. With every movement she opened up more, like heavy curtains being pulled back. My nose nudged at her button, giving her teasing rubs that hinted at what was to come. She let out a soft sound, a tiny cry of pleasure as my tongue entered her, swirling around her depths. She fell forward slightly as she lost awareness of anything around her, my hands holding her up as they played with her breasts.

"Babe?" I asked, wondering if I should lay her down on the bed, though I loved having her above me.

"Don't…..you dare….stop." she gasped out, reaching forward and grabbing the headboard for support.

With my hands now free to roam, I let them explore her. My left hand went up to caress her jaw, and my right came down to assist my tongue. I gently pushed a finger into her, adding another two quickly. I thrust and rolled them around in her, relishing the moans and cries that came with every movement. Her face was scrunched up and her neck arched as she writhed. I could feel her muscles tighten up and I pulled away for another moment, causing her to grunt in frustration.

"Look at me, Babe. I want to see your face when you cum."

She tilted her head down, looking at me as I replaced my mouth, suckling and kneading at her. I felt her muscles contract around my fingers. She gushed again, and clamped her legs around me as she rode out the waves of her orgasm. Her moan bordered on a scream, crying out to a deity, to me, and then some incoherent ramblings. I couldn't breath, and I didn't care as long as I got to watch her in ecstasy. Ecstasy that I had caused. Her face was pure bliss, and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I just hoped she'd let me put that look on her face every day.

When she finally came down from the orgasm, she collapsed on top of me, boneless and pliant as a pile of blankets. As luck would have it, one of her breasts was near my mouth and aching to be played with. I took the nipple between my teeth, worrying it without biting. She tried lifting her body, but her arms weren't cooperating. Chuckling slightly, I slid her down my chest and locked eyes with her. "That was amazing Babe. You can't imagine how beautiful you look when you're cuming from my touch." It was a bit more flowery than I generally was when I spoke, but hiding my feelings from her had never served me well.

"Holy shit Batman! That was incredible." I lifted the corners of my mouth slightly. Any man would be thrilled to get a compliment like that, especially from Steph.

Then her eyes darkened and she got a mischievous grin on her face. "Now let's see if we can top it." She whispered in my ear what she wanted to do, and I was quite happy to oblige. I reached into a bedside drawer and pulled out a condom, which she shatched from my hand before I could open it. She opened the foil package and pulled it out, settling it on the tip of my dick. I reached to roll it down, frustrated at how slowly she was going, but she held my wrist, then used her tongue and teeth to roll it from tip to base, swirling and teaesing along the way.

"Babe…" I said, not really capable of saying more as I struggled to not cum right then and there.

I pushed myself up with my arms, and raised my knees, creating a valley where my cock sat, throbbing painfully from how turned on I was watching her cum. She slowly straddled me mid chest, then slid down, leaving a slick trail in her wake. When she reached my groin, I slid into her like we were two parts of a machine designed to join together.

I knew there was no way I could last very long like this, so I leaned forward to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around my chest, leaving me to support our combines weights. I didn't mind at all, reveling in having her on top of me but still getting to feel our skin pressed together. I leaned all our weight on my left arm, and slid my right hand between us, rubbing tiny circles on her clit so I could see her cum again before I lost it. When she came again she tried to muffle her cry into my shoulder, biting down on it. The mixture of pain and pleasure drove me over the edge as I fell back, panting and reveling in the bliss that was this amazing, sensual woman whom I didn't deserve, but couldn't live without.


	13. Chapter 13

Recap: Ranger waxes philosophical about Stephanie, and then they have a lovely morning that includes a lot of smut.

Stephanie's POV

I lay limply on Ranger's chest, trying to catch my breath. I've often describes Ranger as magic in bed, but his actual skill always amazes me. After a few minutes of laying there like a sloth on barbiturates, I looked at the clock.

"Looks like Batman missed his workout. How inconsiderate of me."

He grinned his full 1000 watts at me. "Trust me Babe, I'm not complaining. Though as much as I'd like to stay here in bed with you all day, I have a full schedule today. Do you want the shower first or second?"

I grinned at him. "Wouldn't it save time to shower together? You once told me you were good in the shower…."

He kissed the top of my head and rolled out of bed. "If I shower with you, I won't get to work on time. Or potentially at all. Join me for breakfast?"

I made a face. "It's not going to be tree bark and grass, will it?"

He smiled again, "I'm sure Ella can come up with something. I'll give her a call. You can sleep a bit longer after we eat, but I want you at the gun range by 900 hours."

Oh goody. More time at the gun range. I rolled over and buried my head under a pillow. I heard him chuckle as he went into the bathroom, and soon the smell of steam and Bvulgari permeated the room.

10 minutes later there was a knock, and Ranger went to the door. "Babe," he called out to me. "Breakfast."

I moaned and rolled out of bed, shuffling to the dining room. There was a large silver serving dish sitting on the table, and two cereal bowls at the chairs. "What's that? I asked suspiciously.

"Something I thought we would both enjoy. We don't often eat the same thing. It's yogurt with granola, fresh sliced strawberries, crushed raspberries, honey, and vanilla. Healthy enough for me, sweet enough for you."

I found it adorable that he wanted to eat the same food as me, so found something we would both like. "No tree bark?"

"No tree bark. Though if you want some, there's cinnamon in the pantry. That's the only tree bark I eat unless it's an emergency"

I tried the mixture. It was pretty good. Not a Boston Creme donut, but definitely edible. Halfway through I caught him staring at me. "What?"

"You have yogurt on the corner of your mouth. Want me to clean it off for you?" His eyes got dark, and I'm sure he was thinking of half an hour before. I smiled at him, and he kissed me, licking my lips, then pushing his tongue deeper. Our mouths should have been cold from breakfast, but somehow he still seemed to radiate heat.

He pulled away from me, and tucked a curl behind my hair. "I'd better go. How about we have lunch up here at noon? You can tell me how things went at the range."

I nodded. "Have a good day, Batman!"

"Have a good day, Wonder Woman." And he was gone.

I rolled out of bed at 8:15, still awash in the happy glow from earlier in the morning. I hopped in the shower, spending more time there then I normally would, knowing I was likely going to be naked with Ranger in the next 12 hours. I put on some light makeup, and tied my hair back. It might not be my best look, but if I was going to be at the range, I needed it controlled.

At 8:58 I walked into the gun range. Lester got there at the same time, carrying a roll of several sheets of poster paper and grinning at me wickedly. "Hey Beautiful. How are you doing?"

"Pretty good. How was your date?"

Lester grinned at me. "A gentleman never kisses and tells."

"Shouldn't be a problem. You're no gentleman."

He laughed. "Be nice to me Bomber, or we won't get to play our game."

I raised my eyebrows at him. He retaliated by raising just one, because apparently I'm the only person in Trenton who can't do that. "What game?" I asked, then narrowed my eyes at him. "This isn't going to be a game of Hide the Salami, is it?"

He laughed, throwing his head back. "No, though now you're giving me ideas. What's wrong, the cop not keeping you satisfied? You need me to step in?"

I blushed, and my eyes shifted to the side. In the last lane, the mockup of Morelli I had made last night still hung, including the shot-out crotch. Lester's eyes followed mine, and he spotted the Faux-relli.

"Something you need to talk about, Beautiful?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I already did. Ranger and I talked last night." I started blushing again.

Understanding dawned in Lester's eyes. "Are you telling me my idiot cousin finally got his head out of his ass and told you how he feels about you?"

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew! Everyone at Rangeman knows. The cops know. Your skips know. Little old ladies walking their dogs as they pass the two of you know that he loves you. You only have to look at how he watches you when you're together. The only people that didn't know how much you two love each other, would be the two of you "

He threw an arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head. "I'm thrilled for you, for both of you. I'm disappointed he got to you first, but you make each other happy. And you both deserve that, even if Ranger doesn't believe it about himself."

Lester put one of the poster sized pieces of paper on the track for target practice. On it was a grid of squares, each about 3 inches to a side. "OK Bomber, like I said, it's time to play a game."


	14. Chapter 14

I haven't said it yet, but I've been blown away by the response I've gotten to this story. I'd expected to get several dozen readers, but as I write this I've had nearly 2,400 different people read this it. The next week will be insane at work (Yesterday I worked for 22 hours straight, had a 4 hour nap, and am now hoping to finish after only 12 hours.) The reviews and encouragement have been wonderful, though I admit I've probably spent some time writing when I should be sleeping.

Recap: Ranger and Steph have breakfast, then Steph goes to the gun range, where Lester tells her that she and Ranger are the last to know how they felt about each other.

Lester pulled out a sharpie and darkened some of the lines on the poster paper, making a 3x3 grid.

I looked at him. "When you said game, you didn't mean Tic-Tac-Toe, did you?

He grinned at me. "Yup. Thought you might appreciate something to keep this interesting. And maybe you can relax more if you aren't thinking of a gun as a way to kill people. You need to be willing to do that if necessary, but one step at a time, OK?" I nodded. "You want to be X's or O's?"

"I'll be X." Lester pulled out a pad of paper and drew another 3x3 grid on it. He gestured for me to shoot. I aimed for the middle square, figuring that even if I missed, I'd get something.

BANG! A hole appeared within an inch of where I had been aiming. I was pretty pleased with myself, and marked an X on the paper. Lester took aim and hit the upper right corner dead-center, marking the paper with an O. We went back and forth like that, at first he beat me every time because of his superior aim, but as I got better I started to beat him using my long-dormant Tic-Tac-Toe skills. Once I was sure enough of my aim that I was willing to pick a specific place to shoot, not just hope for the best, I started creaming him in every game.

"Damn, Bomber, where did you learn to play Tic-Tac-Toe so well?" he asked after I had beaten him in my 5th game straight.

"Have you ever heard the story about how when I was 6 I tried to fly by jumping off the garage roof? I broke my arm when I landed in the yard."

"No, but it doesn't surprise me one bit. I bet you were hell on wheels as a kid."

"Well, my mom was really mad, and I was in a cast, and I was pretty sore all over. I was grounded and couldn't watch TV, I was too young to read, and too sore to play outside or sit on the floor. So I used to spend hours playing tic-tac-toe with my sister or Grandma. Seems it's a skill that never leaves you."

"That explains it. This is getting too easy for you." On the next poster, he drew smaller squares, making a 6x7 grid, then mounted it lengthwise. "Next up, Connect 4!"

After nearly 3 hours of training my arms were aching, but I was feeling pretty good. Lester had been right, it was easier to work on aim when I wasn't thinking about potentially killing someone. I gave Lester a hug in thanks, and went upstairs to have lunch with Ranger.

As I stepped off the elevator I met Ella, who had a tray with her. "Thanks you for breakfast this morning, it was delicious."

Ella smiled at me. "My pleasure dear. I was so glad to hear you had spent the night. You know you're welcome anytime, right?"

I nodded. It was amazing to have a maternal figure who didn't put me down or question my life choices constantly.

"I made you sandwiches, dear. They will be fine if you leave them out for a while, nothing will go bad." She handed me the tray and left, and I walked in and set it on the kitchen counter. Then it struck me what Ella had said, and I got a naughty grin on my face. I looked at the clock, I had 10 minutes until Ranger would get here. I ran to the bedroom to see what was in the closet.

Ranger's POV

I'd had a productive morning, despite my thoughts constantly drifting back to this morning. I hope Babe didn't regret it, I knew I didn't. We had a pattern of her moving one step forward, two steps back, so I was worried that after our time in bed together she might run for the hills. I just hoped her epiphany last night was clear enough that she wouldn't run to Morelli.

I opened my door and called out, more nervous than I wanted to admit to myself that she wouldn't be here. "Babe? You ready for lunch?"

"I'm in here." Her voice called out from the bedroom. It was husky and pitched much lower than usual. I walked in, and stopped dead in my tracks. Steph was wearing a tight sheath dress that she had worn to a distraction a few weeks ago. The drive over to the bar that night had been an uncomfortable one as I tried not to show how turned on I was. It had taken every ounce of control I had to keep it together when I placed the wire, as she wasn't wearing a bra. Now she was standing in my bedroom, her arm stretched above her head as she leaned against the wall.

"Playing with fire, Babe." I said as I moved closer to her, drawing out the tension, relishing the game.

"Then burn me." I didn't need to be asked twice. I pulled her to close to me, kissed her like my life depended on it, and fell onto the bed with her.

Stephanie's POV

Half an hour later we lay sweaty on the bed. I was still wearing the dress, though it was bunched up around my stomach. Ranger hadn't wanted to take the time to actually remove it, and I hadn't been too keen on the idea anyway. We lay together in a sweaty, tangled heap.

"That was definitely better than sandwiches." I panted, still a little breathless.

"I agree, though maybe next time we could eat lunch off each other."

"Easy for me. I could cover you with whipped cream, or chocolate sauce, or marshmallow fluff. Not sure what you eat that would spread well."

"Hmmm, maybe hummus. I could spread it on your nipples like this." He rubbed gentle circles around my areolas, "And then I could clean it off like this." And he took me in his mouth, running his tongue over the nub, then lightly scraping me with his teeth. A shiver went through my spine, and I arched my back. "I've never been a big fan of hummus, but I bet you could convince me."

We went into the kitchen to eat lunch. I had changed back into Rangeman black jeans and t-shirt. He had donned fresh cargos. At my request, he hadn't added a shirt yet, so I had a lovely view while eating.

"I'm going down to Philly of Friday for more security planning, Babe. I was wondering if you wanted to join me. We could spend a couple days in the city. See the sights. Maybe take in a show. "

"Ranger, are you asking me on a date? A proper one where we aren't trying to catch a fugitive?"

He grinned at me. "Thought I might give it a try. See how a date that didn't involve you trying to seduce other men would go."

"Sounds great. Think Ella would watch Rex for me?"

"Babe."


	15. Chapter 15

Recap: Steph and Ranger have lunch and some afternoon delight. Ranger asks Steph on a date in Philadelphia that weekend.

Stephanie's POV

I was getting ready to go back to the gun range when I remembered something and stopped in my tracks. Ranger was right behind me and crashed into my back, wrapping his arms around me to keep me from falling. "Sorry Babe. Didn't mean to do that."

"I bet you were paying so much attention to my butt you didn't noticed I stopped."

"I plead the fifth." He smiled at me, and I wiggled my ass a bit, rubbing it against his crotch. His eyes darkened, and he looked like he might want to drag me right back into the bedroom. It was tempting, but I knew he had a meeting in 15 minutes, and I didn't want him to be rushed. Ranger liked to take it slow, and I enjoyed every drawn-out moment.

"I wanted to ask a favor" I said, trying to ignore my own carnal desires.

"What do you need, Babe?" he asked, looking like he'd hand over just about anything I asked for.

"I want a new lock on my door. Morelli has a key right now, and it's not that I don't trust him, but I'd just feel better if he couldn't walk into my place anytime he wanted. Could you have Hector install something? I don't want an alarm system, just…."

"I get it Babe. Have you spoken to him since last night?"

"No, I need to think about how to do this. It's tempting to do it over the phone, easier to extract myself if he starts insulting me again. But we've known each other all our lives, so I'm not sure if that's fair. Does he deserve to be told in person?"

"Not my strong suit, Babe. I'm more of a "Never trade names, and disappear before dawn kind of guy."

I blanched at that, I don't know what I'd do if Ranger just up and left me without a word.

He took my hand in his, kissing it gently. "You're different. Dios, I guess every guy says that to every girl, don't they. But you are. I've wanted this for far too long to fuck it up that obviously. I'm sure I'll make mistakes. We're both stubborn people, we'll have clashes, no doubt, but never doubt that I love you, even if I'm being pig-headed."

I smiled at that. "I'll tell Joe after I've gotten the locks changed. I suppose it's better to do it sooner rather than later. Luckily I don't think I have anything at his place I wouldn't be willing to give up. I recently went through and grabbed all my clothes from there to do laundry. It's just shampoo and things like that, so no need for a stuff exchange."

"I'll have Hector do it this afternoon. How many copies of the key do you need?"

I thought for a moment. "4, I think. That way my Super and neighbor can have one."

"Who's the 4th one for?"

"You. I know you don't need one to get in, but I want you to have one. To show you're always welcome. Besides, if it means you can get into my place a few seconds quicker by not having to pick the lock, all the better."

"Babe." He said, and he kissed me silly before we left the apartment to go downstairs..

When I got to the gun range Lester was already there. Under his arm was a long, thin box, and there were 10x10 grids hanging up, labeled 1-10 and A-J. "OK, so it seems you can kick my ass at tic-tac-toe and Connect 4. Let's try something harder. When was the last time you played Battleship?"

Ranger's POV

I was having trouble believing that less than 24 hours ago Stephanie had been with Morelli, and I had been alone. The thief in the night, sneaking a kiss in the alley beside the bond office, or breaking into her place to watch her sleep. I can't count the nights I spent there, trying to calm my nerves. I've seen and done things that are burned into my soul, and often they come back to visit me while I dream. But seeing Steph sleeping, looking so innocent, reminded me that there is good in the world. Sometimes I even manage to convince myself that if she cares about me, then there must be something worthwhile in my scarred spirit. When I watched her sleep I could pretend I was a normal man, and those nights I was able to sleep without dreams. Those precious few nights when I'd actually been able to sleep in her bed, holding onto her, were the most restful nights I'd had in my adult life.

Many times when I had pulled into her lot I'd seen Morelli's car parked there. On those nights I'd stare up at her window, wishing I could join her. On summer nights there had been a few times when her window had been open, and I'd heard her crying out his name. The first time that happened I'd pounded the steering wheel so hard I'd nearly broken it. It had been shortly after I'd told her to go back to the cop, and if he hadn't been there, maybe I would have been able to rectify my mistake. The only comfort I'd taken was that while she was moaning, she didn't sound nearly as excited as she had the night we were together. With me her cries had been breathier, loader, more enthusiastic.

Or maybe I was deluding myself. Trying to find the the small bright spot in the shitshow of my own creation. I'd once walked into the room when they were both there asleep. Morelli's car was in the shop, so I hadn't recognized his rental. I'd been stunned to see the two of them, and had needed to back out of the apartment before I lost control of myself. When I had been hiding out at Stephanie's apartment and Morelli had moved in I'd told her that if he had sex with her while I was there I'd have to kill him. It was tempting to do that when I'd seen him lying naked next to her. The picture was burned into my mind. They lay next to each other, barely touching, except his had had been resting on her soft mound of black curls between her legs. The place I most wanted to be. When I slept with her, I curled around her, trying to protect her from the big bad world I knew was out there.

I was kicking myself all the more after realizing how shoddily he had been treating her. Every comment he had made disparaging her while I was within earshot rattled around in my head. How had I not realized he talked to her like that all the time? I thought he was saying those things to rattle me, so I had ignored them.

I needed to stop this. Reliving the past wouldn't change it. My nightmares had taught me that. I had a client meeting in a few minutes, I had to pull Hector off the installation he was scheduled to do that afternoon and put him on a new lock at Babe's apartment, and then I was going to look up romantic date ideas in Philly. There were a lot of museums, but that didn't seem her style. I'd have to come up with an itinerary that fit her perfectly.

Though whatever I came up with, I'm sure it would be a better date than sitting in the back of a bar, watching her seduce some poor sucker, desperately wishing it was me.


	16. Chapter 16

_This will likely be the last update until the US Election. If you are in the US (and about ¾ of you are), please remember to go vote on Tuesday. If you let me know you've voted, I'll put you in a cameo role in the story later on (probably at the rally, since it will have the most people)._

 _Luckily for you I have Jury Duty next week, so I expect to have lots of downtime to write while I'm waiting to be called. I will be updating another story, The Butterfly Effect, because it's already written, and just needs to be posted. If you would like to read it, it's at_ _s/12217976/1/The-Butterfly-Effect_

 _Recap: Stephanie asks for new locks on her door so Joe can't come in uninvited into her house. Ranger recalls the times he watched Steph sleep._

Stephanie's POV

I had to hand it to Lester, he certainly had a way of making target practice fun. We each set up a board of Battleship in our lane, the grid in the target holder, and the plastic ships on the normal game board on the shelf in front of us. The dividers kept them out of sight of each other. Then, instead of just calling out the name of the square we wanted to hit, like in the regular game, we actually had to hit the corresponding square on the poster. Communicating which square we'd hit while wearing ear protection was a bit tricky, but we'd figured it out. It really was a blast, and forced me to be even more accurate since the squares were smaller.

After a couple of games Lester and I were taking a break when the COPS theme song rang out from my pocket. I grimaced at it and silenced the phone. Lester looked at me with a calculating gaze. "Nice ringtone. Morelli I assume?"

I nodded and sighed heavily. "Yeah. I haven't figured out yet how to tell him. I haven't even figured out _where_ to tell him. I don't want to do it alone, because he'd likely start insulting me again. But out in public it would become the biggest story of the year for the gossip mill. My mom would get 30 calls before I got my coat back on."

Lester pondered for a moment. "What about at Shorty's? It's not a Burg place, and I could blend in there if I wasn't in black. Morelli doesn't really know me, so if I sit with my back to him he's unlikely to realize who I am. But I could keep an ear out for you in case he gets…." Lester seemed to struggle to find the right word.

"Overly macho? Testosterone-poisoned?"

"Nicer than what I was going to say, but it works."

I pondered for a moment. "I like the idea. Just promise me you won't interfere unless I ask you to. I think this is a challenge I need to face myself, but having you there as emergency backup will give me more confidence."

"OK, Beautiful. How about you have a safeword. If you say 'Garlic', I'll know you want me to step in. But he he gets physical with you, I'm not going to wait."

"I doubt he will. Not in public."

Lester threw me a sharp glance. "Has he gotten physical with you in private?"

"No. Well, not really. I mean, he's grabbed me by the arm or shoulders and shaken me on occasion. Mostly he just puts me down a lot."

One of the most common charges I bring people in for is domestic abuse. I've seen the fear in their partner's faces. Women, and occasionally men, who had a haunted look in their eyes. Beaten down, withdrawn, like they were trying to fade into the background. Never sure of what would set the abuser off. That same look had haunted the eyes of more than one of the Morelli women. Joe had never made me scared like they were, but I wondered, had he really escaped his family's tradition of alcoholism and abuse? I shivered.

I pulled out my phone, almost calling Joe back, then wimping out and sending him a text. "Meet me for dinner at Shorty's? 6?"

A minute later I got a reply. "Sure, Cupcake, But why not Pino's?"

I pondered that. "In the mood for steak on my pizza. Pino's doesn't have that." I wrote, not sure if Shorty's did either, but he'd generally been accommodating to whatever he was asked to cook.

It took long enough for Joe to answer that I got nervous, but eventually I got a message back. "OK, Cupcake, but he better have a meatball sub that's up to par. See you at 6."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "OK, I'm meeting him at 6. You sure you don't mind?"

"Glad to, Beautiful. Just sad I won't get to see his face when you tell him it's over."

He wouldn't be the only one. I decided to give Ranger a heads-up on my plan.

Ranger's POV

I was working out the schedule for the next two weeks when the phone rang.

"Yo."

"Yo, yourself."

"Babe."

Amazing how we could communicate so much in so few words. Truth be told, I was thrilled to hear from her. I hated paperwork, so any distraction short of one of my people being injured was welcome, but listening to her always lightened my heart a little bit. She was more refreshing that a night of dream-free sleep. Or perhaps she was just the main cause of those peaceful but rare nights.

"So, I'm going to tell Joe that it's over, and why. We're meeting at Shorty's at 6. Lester is coming with me as backup, but only if I need him. I'd rather do this without someone else stepping in."

I was glad she was taking backup, but wished it was me. I had a few choice words for Morelli as well. "I'll come if you want me to, Babe. I'll even eat some pizza."

She laughed. I loved to hear her laugh. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid you two will get into a dick swinging contest, and after what I told you last night…..Look, I don't want you to feel you have to protect me from every little thing in the world. And I don't want you to do something rash."

"Me? Rash? Babe."

"I saw the look on your face last night, before you put on blank face. You looked like you wanted to tear his arm off and beat him to death with it."

"Babe, I'd never be that messy."

"Maybe not, but you doing 50-life for murdering a cop would put a real damper on our date, and I'm really looking forward to it."

I was too. And she was right. I could use every resource at my command to keep her safe from psycho stalkers and violent skips, but some battles she had to fight on her own. This was one of them, and me _not_ being there might make it go easier for her.

"Alright, Babe. Let me know if you need anything. If you want to come back afterwards, we can have dessert."

"Deal."


	17. Chapter 17

_Had a bit more spare time today than I had planned on, so I was able to update. No idea what's up for the next 3 days. Remember, tell me that you've voted and you get a cameo in later in the story. Or, it it's before Tuesday, tell me your vote plan (how and when you are getting to the polls)_

 _Recap: Stephanie decides to break up with Joe at Shorty's, with Lester there as backup._

Stephanie's POV

Lester and I kept playing Battleship until 5:00. His superior aim meant he won most of the time. I was only hitting my target about 80% of my shots, but I was improving. Lester had suggested that we turn it into strip Battleship, and we'd lose an item of clothing each time the other player sunk one of our boats. I vetoed that idea with a noogie and a suggestion that Ranger might want to play.

After so many hours at the range, I was tired and sore. My right arm felt like it was going to fall off. But I felt happy and confident. I was improving rapidly; I might not _like_ the gun, but felt a little more comfortable with it.

I'd been trying to figure out my approach to talking with Morelli. Do I just say it's over and not give an explanation? Do I catalog every hurtful thing he's said to me? I decided to just wing it, see how things went in the moment. I did think asking for my key back would be a good test. I knew it was useless now that Hector had changed my lock, but he didn't. If he didn't return my key, it really did show I was right to leave him, and should probably take steps to keep him out of my life permanently. If he did, maybe we could try to be friends after a while. But one thing was for sure; I was done being an emotional punching bag.

At 5 I went up to Ranger's apartment to shower and change. Ranger was already there, leaning back casually in a chair while reading a contract. He put everything down when I walked into the room, coming over to me with Panther-like grace, and pulled me into a blistering kiss. His hands pulled my hair out of its clip and gently brushed through the curls, and I could feel him harden against my stomach.

"Wow, a girl could get used to a greeting like that at the end of the day." I panted when he let me go.

He nuzzled my hair and brushed the shell of my ear with his cheek. "Babe, a man could get used to you coming home to greet him at the end of the day, smelling so good." He pulled his earlobe into his mouth, sucking lightly.

I'm pretty sure I moaned a little when he did that. "Ranger, as much fun as this is, I need to get showered and changed and go meet Morelli. I have to end this or it will all just get too complicated."

"Are you sure you don't want me there for moral support?" he murmured in my ear, "Or, perhaps, assistance in the shower? I can help you get to all those hard-to-reach places."

Both offers were tempting, but neither was a good idea. "Going to have to take a raincheck on those, at least for a few hours. But thinking about coming back here for comfort and…...dessert, will help me get through this. I've known Morelli my whole life. This is going to suck."

He got an evil grin on his face. "If you want, I can do sucking too."

Oh, boy.

45 minutes later I was showered, dressed, and trying to tamp down the butterflies in my stomach. Lester knocked on the door, and I was pleased to see he was out of Rangeman black. Instead he was wearing jeans, sneakers, and a sweater. He also had a light colored windbreaker and a NY Jets ballcap. The bulky clothes hid his muscle tone, and Shorty's was always filled with a bunch of tough looking men. Lester wouldn't stand out.

Ranger handed me a key ring with a Kwickset key on it. "Hector changed your locks this afternoon, and apparently fed your hamster. We can't do much about the door itself being shoddy, but this will stop almost anyone from being able to pick it."

"Does that mean you'll have to knock or use a key now?"

"Babe, I said _almost_."

Ranger did his ESP thing with Lester, not saying anything, just giving him a look and a nod. I'm assuming the message was "Take care of her, and if he does anything he shouldn't, take care of _him_." I took a deep breath, and walked out the door.

Lester's POV

We had arrived early enough to make sure that we would be in position before the cop got there. I wasn't sure exactly what had gone on between them, but obviously it had rattled Stephanie. I also wasn't sure how much I believed her that he had never gotten physical with her.

I took a seat at the bar, close to the table Steph chose. From here I could hear them well, but swivel away if I thought Morelli way looking my way. I ordered a beer, but just sipped at it. I needed to stay sharp. Behind me, Beautiful ordered a pizza with steak and olives. Sounded like a horrible combo to me, but to each her own. I could tell she was nervous. Her leg was jiggling under the table and she had already shredded her napkin into confetti.

Right as her pizza came, Morelli walked in. It had started to drizzle outside, and he shook his hair to get the flecks of water out. Steph took a deep breath, and I could almost see her pull together her courage. He slid into the seat across from her, and grabbed a slice.

"Blech, Cupcake, why can't you just get a normal pizza like everyone else?"

"Joe, we need to talk."

"Uh oh. Those conversations never end well. Or is this where you apologize for leaving last night?"

"No. I'm not going to apologize for that. And this is the conversation where I tell you we're done. For good, not this 'on again-off again' game we've been playing for years."

"What the hell brought this on?"

"A few things, but mostly it's something I realized last night."

I turned my head slightly, wanting to make sure I could see her if he did anything stupid. So far he was just waving his hands and pointing a lot with his pizza crust. Annoying, but it probably wasn't a dangerous weapon.

"I realized that when I'm with you, I always end our visit feeling worse about myself than when we started. There's the constant little jabs at me, the put downs, the insults. The general feeling that you only value me for my body. My self esteem gets worn away little by little with every one of those comments. I think it's why we can't live together for very long, I get worn down so much I need to get away to build myself back up."

"What are you talking about? I don't insult you, I love you!"

"Joe, when you walked in here, the first thing you did was insult my choice of toppings for pizza. You didn't have to eat the pizza, you had said you were planning on getting a meatball sub. So why should it matter what I get to eat as long as _I_ like it?"

"You're breaking up with me over what I said about pizza toppings?"

"No. I'm breaking up with you for the thousand little cuts that happen whenever I'm with you. The pizza thing was just the most recent. Last night was much bigger. Last night I told you some news that I was really excited about, and you put me down. You insulted my abilities and intelligence. It wasn't the first time, it wasn't the thousandth time. But it's going to be the last time. I won't let you have the power over me to hurt me again."

"This is ridiculous." Morelli said, his voice bordering on yelling. "We belong together, I love you, you love me, and once you get this bounty-hunting crap out of your system you'll realize that and marry me."

Stephanie sighed. "Joe, I think you are in love with this...image of me. Someone who is willing to settle down and be a wife and mother. That's fine for some women, but it's not what I want with my life. We'd never actually work, long-term. It's better to end it now, before we end up hating each other for not being what the other needs."

Joe glared at her. I kept my cool, but was wary for any sudden movements he might make. After a moment he stood up, pushing the table at her. "Call me when you come to your senses." he said, then stomped out the door.

Once he was out of sight I went over to help Steph disentangle herself from the table, which was pinning her in the booth. She sighed heavily. "Well, that went a lot better then it could have. I wonder how long it will take until my mother hears and tries to get us back together."

She nibbled at the pizza, but with a lot less enthusiasm than she normally ate. I grabbed a slice. It was weird, but not too bad. "Do you want to get this boxed up and head back to Heywood?"

"Yeah. I'm not feeling hungry, but all Ranger has is rabbit food." She frowned suddenly. "Shit, I meant to ask him for the key to my place back."

I looked at her, surprised. "I thought Hector changed the locks."

"He did. It was going to be a test, to see if he would...I don't know. Be reasonable, I guess. But it doesn't really matter. He can't get in anymore."

I went back to the bar and gave Shorty a 50 for the pizza, beer, and for putting up with an angry cop in his place. It's always a good idea to treat the people who handle your food well. He passed me a box, and I put the pizza away. "You going to be OK, Bomber?"

"Yeah. I'm going to go back to Ranger's apartment. I'm sure he'll cheer me up."

I waggled my eyebrows at her. She laughed. "Are you going to see Marie again?"

"Yup." I said. "I told her I'd give her a call when I finished here. I'll drop you off then head over to her place."

We grabbed the pizza box and headed out into the cold drizzle.

Stephanie's POV

I felt like I'd run a couple of miles by the time I got to Ranger's apartment. It's funny how emotions can tire you out just as much as physical exertion. I trudged into the apartment and went to the fridge to put the pizza away for when I was more hungry. It was then I noticed a wonderfull smell. And there it was on the counter, a fresh-baked pineapple upside-down cake.

"Ella made it for you, I thought you deserved your favorite after the day you've had." Ranger had come up behind me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close to his chest.

"Thank you, Ranger. Oh look, there's even whipped cream!"

"Babe," he said, kissing down the side of my neck and sliding his hand into my jeans, then my panties. His strong fingers brushed against my nub, sending a jolt of electricity through every nerve in my body. "The whipped cream isn't for the cake."

Oh, Boy.


	18. Chapter 18

_Election day! Tell me your vote plan, or that you have voted, to get a cameo in the story. Remember that I can't reply to guest comments, so I won't be able to write to ask your name or description if you aren't logged in. And thank you to Mencia, for correcting my Spanish. I admit I generally just use Google Translator, as I don't really have any friends I can call on at 1 in the morning to translate overly flowery smut for me.  
_

 _Recap: Stephanie officially breaks things off with Joe, then comes back to Ranger's place to find cake and whipped cream waiting for her._

Ranger's POV

I held Stephanie close to me, my fingers slowly circling her clit, and I sucked gently on her collarbone. She quivered at the touch, and I trailed my left hand under her shirt, up her stomach, and into her bra. Each hand softly pinched the nub they held, and her breath caught in her throat.

"Enjoying yourself Babe?" I asked, the smile in my voice showing how much _I_ was enjoying this. My reward was an incoherent moan, far better than any affirmative answer she could have given if she were still able to speak. I slowly pushed three fingers into her, continuing to roll her clit between my thumb and index finger. She was so wet, so obviously ready for me, but I had plans and wanted to draw this out.

I lifted my mouth from the nape of her neck, and used my chin to gently massage her shoulder. After hours at the range she had to be sore there. I could feel the knots of tension in the muscle, and I worked at them, punctuating the massage with kisses. Her breathing got heavier, and I continued to play with her, stroking her inside and out.

I gently sucked on her earlobe, and whispered to her in Spanish. O, mi belleza. He esperado tanto tiempo para que vengas a mi. Desde hace años solamente he querido abrazarte de esta manera, y hacer que tu cuerpo cante con alegria. (Oh, my beauty. I've waited so long for you to come to me. For years I've wanted nothing more than to hold you like this, to make your body sing with joy. )

It was always easier to tell her the truth when she didn't understand me, but it made her quiver and arch her neck. She let out a long moan, and I felt her walls start to squeeze my fingers.

Stephanie's POV

A warm feeling started at my core and spread throughout my body. My legs turned to jelly as wave after wave of pleasure seeped into my bones, making me forget my surroundings. Dimly I was aware that Ranger was holding me close to him, supporting my weight. I was too busy riding the orgasm to pay much attention.

As I came back down to Earth I realized I was sagging in his arms, all my energy spent. He was nuzzling my ear, saying something in Spanish. I couldn't understand the meaning of the words, but the tone was filled with adoration. I glanced at the clock on the oven. Less than 5 minutes had passed since I had walked in. He had brought me to a mind-blowing orgasm, with both of us fully clothed, in less time than it takes to microwave a TV dinner.

"You really weren't kidding when you said you would ruin me for all other men, were you?"

"Babe, I've barely begun to ruin you."

He reached for the can of whipped cream with the hand that had been at my breast, his right hand still inside me. We slowly backed up into his bedroom, his fingers lightly flitting around like he was playing a piano. I could feel him hard against my back, And I wanted to play with him like he had played with me.

When we got to the edge of the bed I turned around slowly, pulling his head down into a deep kiss. His tongue explored my mouth, and my hands went to his pants, pulling open the belt buckle and undoing the button. He was performing a similar operation on my clothes, though using just one hand, the other still caressing my pussy. Once his pants were unbuckled I pushed them down, then went to work on the buttons of his shirt. Soon his chest was bare before me, and I ran my hands along every contour.

He groaned into my mouth, and knelt down, kicking his pants off as he lowered himself. He pulled away from the kiss, much to my dismay, but trailed his mouth down my neck, my collarbone, stopping at my breast. He took my nipple in his mouth, then swirled it around, teasing the tip with his tongue.

"Ranger…" I moaned, feeling the tension building inside me. I ran my fingers through his silky hair, pulling him closer to me. He responded by switching to my other breast and pushing his fingers further into me. I was so wet I was drenching his hand, but I couldn't seem to care. His mouth left my nipple and went further south, and I held my breath in anticipation.

Instead of going to ground zero like I'd expected, he nibbled on the inside of my thigh. I let out a small whine of protest, and he chuckled, switching to the other thigh and added a fourth finger. His fingers caressed my insides, and I sucked in a breath of air. "Please…" I murmured. "Please…"

He looked up at me, smiling. "I never could say no to you, Babe." And he took me in his mouth.

Moments later another doomsday orgasm rocked me. This time he gently lowered me to the bed, letting me thrash around on the sheets. My whole body arched and I gripped the 1000 count cotton in my fists. When I came to my senses I looked deep into his eyes. There was a softness there, an unfamiliar look in his normally guarded face. He kissed my lips gently, as if I were a flower petal he didn't wish to disturb.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are when you look at me like that." He whispered.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like there's no place in the world you would rather be than in my bed. In my arms." He gently pulled his fingers out of me, and put them in his mouth, looking much like he was licking a popsicle.

"I look like that because it's true." Now, Joe had earned his reputation as a great lover, but I could always tell that for him, sex was about _his_ pleasure. Oral sex was a means to an end, a way to get me wet and horney faster, or an incentive for me to come to bed with him.

It wasn't that way with Ranger. Ranger loves to kiss, and loves to kiss _everywhere_. He gave every impression that he could happily spend hours with his head going no further north than my belly button. If I were a more greedy person, I might have let him. But the can of whipped cream was sitting on the bed, and I hadn't had much dinner.

I rolled him onto his back, playfully leaning over him. "I do believe it's my turn, Batman." And I proceeded to decorate him with the whipped cream like he was a mocha-latte flavored ice cream sundae, complete with a nice, big, cherry in the middle.


	19. Chapter 19 The Tasty Pastry Incident

_I know it's been a few days since I updated. As my life gets less insane, I should be able to write more. Thank you for those of you who let me know you voted. I'll write to you and ask for a name or description of how you want to show up in the story._

 _Recap: After Stephanie breaks up with Joe, she comes home to cake and whipped cream. Then there is a lot of smut. Lots of run to write (and hopefully to read), but not much plot._

Stephanie's POV

I woke up in the morning expecting to feel Ranger behind me as I usually did. Instead, I was flat on my back in the middle of the bed, with the first glimmers of sun peeking through the window. Ranger was across the room, clipping on his utility belt.

"Morning Babe. How did you sleep?"

"Like a rock. Why didn't you wake me before you got up?"

Ranger grinned at me, coming over and pecking me on the forehead. "I needed a shower after last night, and I knew you would distract me."

I reached my arms around his neck and gave him a deep kiss, then whispered in his ear "You weren't complaining at the time. As I recall, you rather enjoyed getting all sticky."

"Babe, you got me to eat something that was pure fat and sugar. What does that tell you about how much I enjoyed myself?"

"Oh, come on. You know you worked off every calorie. And if you aren't sure you did, I'm sure we could do a bit of cardio to keep you from getting pudgy." I patted his stomach, as if it wasn't solid muscle.

"As tempting as that offer is, I have a full day, especially since we'll be gone all weekend. Lester sent me a report that you've been improving rapidly. If you want, you can go get any new skips today, but please take Lester with you on the takedowns, and get at least another 4 hours in at the range. You should also pack and bring Rex over here so we can leave early tomorrow."

It was sweet that he'd remembered Rex. I gave him one more kiss before letting him go, and he was gone.

I got up, did the shower thing, and went downstairs to Lester's cube. "I'm going to the bonds office. I'll let you know if I need any help, and then I'll be back later for more Battleship."

"Sounds good, Beautiful. I'll see you later."

I walked into the bonds office and Connie immediately pounced. "Tell me _everything!_ "

I stared at her. "What?" I said, hoping I could put off the inevitable.

Lula spoke up from the couch. "You got that "I just got laid" look about you, and we know it wasn't the cop.

"Yeah." Connie jumped in. "No way it was Morelli. He came in earlier with a box of donuts for you, looking like hell. There's still some left."

She handed me the box. Boston Creme from Tasty Pastry, my favorite. I had a momentary flash of a time nearly 20 years earlier when I was 16 and working there as a counter girl.

Morelli had walked in a moment before closing, locking the door and flipping the sign. He had told me he was joining the Navy, and that he was finally working up the courage to tell me how he felt about me. That he would hate himself if he didn't let me know before leaving.

I'd been shy, inexperienced, and flattered that he had thought of me. And then his hands were on me, his mouth was on mine, muffling my protest at the speed of it all. Suddenly my bra was unhooked and his hands on my breasts. It was blindingly fast, but I didn't know what to do. He was strong and handsome, and I had harbored feelings about him my whole life. I wanted him to slow down, but not necessarily to stop. My experience in the Burg just hadn't prepared me for this situation, or these feelings.

And then I was on the floor, and he was over me, his hands in my panties. I didn't know what I wanted, some of what he was doing felt really good, but in the back of my mind I was screaming for him to slow down. I was so confused, trying to orient myself.

The sex itself was blessedly quick. He was caressing my breasts and had his mouth on mine the whole time. There was a moment of pain. It lessened, then increased, each time he thrust deeper. I squirmed a bit, trying to relieve some of the discomfort, but that just seemed to turn him on more. I hadn't planned on my first time being like this. I was supposed to wait for marriage, or at least college. But just like that, in the span of a few minutes on the floor of a bakery, I went from being a virgin to being...I'm not sure what the word was. Is there a word for not being a virgin? The only one I could think of was 'slut'. And I didn't want to be that.

And suddenly it was over. Joe gave a grunt, then collapsed on me. He gave me one last kiss, then stood up and buckled his pants. I was still trying to process what had happened when I heard the door open and close.

I had cleaned myself up in the bathroom, then worked on closing the store down. Somehow, I thought that I would feel different, like I was finally an adult. But I felt nothing. My hope had been to just put the whole thing behind me.

The next day I'd gotten a frantic call from my best friend, Mary Lou. "Ohmigod! What did you do Stephanie?"

"What do you mean?"

"There's graffiti all over the men's' bathrooms in town that you slept with Joe Morelli! You didn't, did you?"

So much for putting it all behind me.

"Yo, White Girl!"

Lula's voice intruded on my memories. I looked at her. "You gonna eat one of those donuts, or just stare at them?"

Honestly, it was taking all my self control to not throw the box to the floor and stomp on it. Instead I put it back on Connie's desk and grabbed a small pile of folders she had set aside for me. "I'll try to get these done today. I'm going to be out of town the next three days."

I walked out before they could ask more questions about Joe, or where I was going, or why I didn't want any donuts. I got into my car and drove a few blocks to look at the files. It was all regulars. Mooner would be easy, though I didn't have time to watch Scooby-Doo with him today. Vicki Sandals would be standing on her normal corner, peddling her knock-off purses and sunglasses. I could handle them without Lester, but Doug Browning could be trickier. He'd gotten into a bar fight and pulled a knife. His temper was nasty enough that backup was a decent idea. Doug had a 9-5 job though, so I wouldn't be able to get him until after he got home.

I pulled out my phone and called Mooner. "Yo, Dudette. What's up?"

"You missed your court date again."

"Oh, no way! Sorry about that. Want to join me for a _Get Smart_ retrospective?"

"No time Moon-man. Can I pick you up in 20 minutes?"

"OK, see you then." I put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb. If this went well I'd grab Mooner and Vicki, drop them off at the TPD, and then go back to Rangeman for target practice. At 6 or so Lester and I would go get Doug Browning. Then I'd grab my clothing and Rex from home. And while I knew we had an early start in the morning, I had a feeling I might be able to convince Ranger to use up the half a can of whipped cream we still had.


	20. Chapter 20 Lula's Question

_Recap: Stephanie remembers what her first time with Joe was like on the floor of the Tasty Pastry, Connie and Lula have figured out that something is going on in her romantic life._

Stephanie's POV

After dropping Mooner and Vicki at the TPD, I tried to decide what to do. Since I wouldn't pick up Doug Browning until after the bonds office closed, I wasn't going to get that money until I got back on Monday. I wanted to have some spending cash on my weekend out, and that meant I had to go back and face the music. Signing heavily, I headed for Hamilton Avenue.

I walked into the office like I was about to face a firing squad and handed over my body receipts. Connie took them, but made no effort to get the check ledger out. She stared at me, as did Lula. This went on for a few uncomfortable moments before I finally gave up.

"Fine, I'll tell you." I huffed, then glanced at Vinnie's door.

"He's bailing someone out, he can't hear us. Now spill." Connie said, determination in her voice.

I flopped down onto the couch next to Lula and spit out what had happened in the last 48 hours. "So Ranger asked me to help with a job guarding the President on Halloween because the Secret Service is stretched thin. And I was all excited, but when I told Joe, he made fun of me and said that I was a disaster, the worst bounty hunter on the Eastern Seaboard, and that the Secret Service would be crazy to let me near the president because he would probably get hit by a meteor.

"And I realized that he has been doing things like this for as long as I've known him. Since we were little kids. He puts me down constantly, but it's so subtle I hadn't realized how much he did it. I told him to leave, he didn't, so I left and went to Rangeman for some target practice."

"And when you say 'target practice'" Lula interrupted. I rolled my eyes.

"I need to get better with my gun so I feel more comfortable using it. Anyway, I went to Rangeman and after a while Ranger came down and…." I stopped. This was personal, and some of it was embarrassing. But Connie looked like she would shoot me if I didn't keep going, so I plowed ahead.

"He asked why I was there so late, and I told him what Joe had said, and how upset it had made me. He invited me to spend the night so I didn't have to go back to my apartment. So we went to sleep, and the next morning we, well, we had sex."

Connie and Lula were both looking at me slack-jawed. "What was it like?" Connie asked, sounding very much like Betty Boop.

"It was amazing. He's an amazing lover. He's strong and hard, but giving and he seems to like me being on top."

Lula was fanning herself. "Does he like to do kinky shit? I can totally see him doing kinky shit, like being handcuffed to his bed and role-playing. Like, one of you is the big bad bounty hunter and the other is the reluctant skip trying to bribe their way out of being captured…." Her voice faded and she got a glazed look in her eyes.

"Geez, we've been together for a little more than a day! We haven't talked about stuff like that yet. Besides, I can't imagine someone in control as much as Ranger being OK with me tying him up."

"You'd be surprised. Sometimes it's the guys most in charge who like that shit. Like that Senator from Louisiana who liked being in diapers. And on my corner, it was the gang leaders that wanted you to tie them up and sit on them way more than the low-down members. Sex is about fantasy, and you fantasize about what your life _isn't_ , not what it _is_."

Connie picked up on the words 'we've been together'. "So are you two officially an item then? What about Morelli, did you break up with him? Is that why he brought the donuts?"

"I guess so. I told Joe I was breaking up with him, and why, but not that I was with Ranger. Honestly, they were separate things. I decided I was done with Joe before Ranger saw me doing target practice. I turned to him for comfort and support, like I always have. And we ended up in bed together. But if I'd gone to my parent's instead of Rangeman, I would still have ended it with Joe. I can't be with someone who puts me down so much. I just can't believe it took this long to realize it. Anyway, Ranger has to go to Philly for a meeting tomorrow, and then we're going to spend the weekend in the city. He's planning a whole weekend for us, and I can't wait."

Lula and Connie fanned themselves, and Connie got out the check ledger. "When you get back, I want a minute-by-minute account of what you did. Pictures would be nice too." She handed me my check, and I left to go to the bank to cash the checks, and meet Lester at Rangeman.

Now, should I tell Ranger what Lula had asked?


	21. Chapter 21

_Recap: Stephanie tells Lula and Connie about what happened with Joe and Ranger after Connie refuses to pay her for her skips until she spills the beans._

Ranger's POV

I was ass deep in paperwork when I got the text from Cal in the control room that Stephanie was back in the building. I couldn't help myself, I pulled up the feed from the shooting range and watched her for a few minutes. She was so fucking hot, standing there with her arms stretched out and wrapped around a gun. I tried to keep my mind on what I was doing, and not the last time her hands were wrapped around me.

It was hard to believe it had been less than two days since she had come into the building, trying to hold back tears over what that _bastardo_ Morelli had said to her. Always been saying to her. How had I not seen it before? And how was that idiot so blind to the treasure he had? One thing was for sure, I was sure as hell not going to make the same mistake.

I turned back to planning my weekend with Stephanie. I'd already rejected a few ideas for things to do. The Eastern State Penitentiary was the first modern prison, and while it might be interesting, she had far too much compassion for people for it to put her in a good mood. I'd considered a canoeing trip and picnic along boathouse row, but it was just too cold. Even on a warm day the water would be fridged this time of year. I still had a few good ideas, the trick would be keeping myself feeling secure when out in the open. I liked my back to the wall, that was hard to pull off when we were moving around a busy street filled with pedestrians.

 _OK, focus Manoso. Get this schedule done, write up the contract, and then you can look up more romantic date ideas. Until then, you still have a company to run._

A few hours later I had finished up the dreaded paperwork, and come up with a perfect plan for Friday. I was feeling pretty satisfied when my phone rang. It was Santos.

"Talk"

"Hey Boss, we're both fine, but Bomber got very slightly hurt when we were taking down a skip."

Cold dread filled my stomach. I was always terrified of what might happen to her when she went out after anyone more dangerous than a shoplifter. I was just a lot smarter than the cop about how to deal with that fear. He yelled at her and told her to quit. I made sure she had the skills and backup to help make her safer.

"What happened? You were supposed to keep her safe."

"You would have been proud of her boss, the guy pulled a knife and came after me, and she took him down with a flying tackle. May well have saved me a stab wound, but her left arm is bruised up. She landed with him on top of it. She's fine, said she was going to head home to pack while I drop him off at the police station."

"Do you still have the skip in your car?"

"Affirmative, boss."

"Make sure he knows exactly how upset I am that Babe got hurt."

"Already taken care of from my end, but I'll give him your regards as well."

I hung up, which I know would drive Steph crazy if I was on the call with her, she's always complaining about my phone manners. The knot in my stomach loosened somewhat, knowing it was something as simple as a banged-up arm. Still, I would feel better once she was back here. When she was in the building I could relax about her safety. Until then, I took comfort knowing that she was feeling more comfortable with her gun, her naturally good aim was improving, and that Lester had been teaching her self-defense moves.

Stephanie's POV

I walked into my apartment for the first time in two days. Rex was running on his wheel, but stopped to look at me. I pulled a grape out of the fridge and dropped it into his cage. He ran over to it and stuffed the grape into his cheek pouch, whiskers quivering. He ran to his soup can and hid, his little butt wiggling. It was good to be welcomed home.

I went into the bathroom and threw my shirt in the laundry, wincing at the bruise forming on my left arm. I had seen Doug Browning pull out the knife and swing for Lester, and I tackled him. I'd wrapped my arms around Browning and gotten him to the ground. Unfortunately, when we fell we landed on a metal trash can, and my upper arm took the weight of both of us. His struggling banged it against the can a few more times. When I'd checked it an hour ago it hadn't seemed that bad, but now I had about 8 inches of skin that was red and swollen. I knew from experience that tomorrow I'd have a nasty bruise that would take weeks to fade. At least it was getting cold enough outside that I didn't want to wear tank tops or t-shirts without a sweater anymore.

Lester hadn't taken my getting hurt very well. I'd always joked that Ranger's men were so protective of me because they would rather take a bullet than have to answer to him if I got hurt, but that's what it had been, a joke. Lester had been so rough with Browning I'd actually had to stop him from banging the guy into every hard surface from his living room to the door. He would have far more bruises than me tomorrow. I wasn't sure how _all_ the Merry Men felt about me, but Lester and I had a real friendship, some flirtation, and he definitely felt protective of me. I hope Ranger didn't give him too much grief about me being banged up.

I was still looking in the mirror when I heard a key in the lock at the door, then rattling and cursing when it didn't turn. I threw on the bathrobe hanging by the shower and went to the door. "Go away Joe, I don't want you here. I thought I made that clear."

"Dammit, Stephanie. Let me in, I need to talk to you."

"What part of 'Go Away' was unclear?"

"Cupcake, I'm going to stand here yelling in Italian until you let me in. I'll wake the neighbors and one of them will call your mother."

 _Shit. He was right._ I opened the door a crack and he pushed it open, barging in. "Where the hell have you been? You haven't been here in two days."

"How do you know if I've been here or not? And how did you get here three minutes after I did?" He didn't answer me, which gave me the answer I needed. He'd been watching the apartment, or having his cop friends do it, or bugged the apartment before I'd changed the locks. I wasn't sure of the method, but he'd been spying on me.

"Joe, I've asked you twice to go away. I've told you it's over."

"You break up with me all the time. It never lasts. Common, Cupcake. You know we'll get back together eventually, might as well be sooner rather than later." He put his hands on my shoulders and kissed me, hard. His tongue tried to enter my mouth, and all of the sudden I was back at Tasty Pastry 20 years ago, with him pushing himself on me, never giving me a chance to make a choice about what _I_ wanted to do.

But I wasn't a naive 16-year-old anymore. I was a grown woman who knew what I wanted, and I didn't want this. I stepped back, trying to get away from him. He tightened his hold on my shoulders, then moved his hands to my upper arms to get a better grip.

I felt a wave of pain as he gripped my sore arm. I sucked in air and curled my body around protectively, which just pulled against his grip more. It hurt enough that I saw spots in my vision and felt slightly dizzy.

"Cupcake? Are you OK?" I was in too much pain to answer, and then I felt his hands pull open the robe and push the terrycloth off me. He stared in horror at the puffy skin and red marks along my arm. "Oh, Stephanie, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you, I didn't know you were injured!"

"That's the problem, Joe," I whispered. "You never _mean_ to hurt me. But that doesn't mean you don't. And I'm done with it. I want you to go, and don't come back unless I invite you. Please don't call, don't text, don't stop by my work, my place, or my parent's. If I want to have a friendship with you, I will let you know. In the meantime, all I want from you is space."

He lowered his head and stepped back, turning to the door. He was almost out the door when he turned and looked at me. "Just one thing, Cupcake. Manoso didn't do that to you, did he?"

I shook my head and sighed sadly. "No, Joe. Ranger didn't hurt me. And I imagine the guy who did this had far more bruises than me by now."

Morelli nodded. "He'll have a few more by morning, assuming he's even made it to the station."

And he was gone.

I spent a few minutes putting some clothes, toiletries, and hamster necessities in my laundry basket. I went slowly, so that if Joe needed some time to pull himself together before leaving the parking lot he wouldn't see me obviously moving things to Ranger's. There was no need to rub salt on the wound. After it had been 10 minutes I put Rex on top of the pile of clothes, closed up the apartment, and left.


	22. Chapter 22

_Recap: Stephanie is hurt on a takedown, and Joe accidentally grabs her injury while attempting to kiss her. She orders him to leave her alone and not contact her until she calls him._

Stephanie's POV

It had been a long, emotionally draining day and I was happy to get back to the Haywood office. I wasn't quite ready to call it 'home' yet, but seeing the building was starting to give me the same feeling of calm that my apartment did.

I pulled into the garage and grabbed my basket, walking across the concrete floor to the elevator. When the doors opened Ranger was already standing there, giving me a soft smile that made him look 10 years younger. He lifted the basket from my arms and kissed me as the elevator rose.

"Mmmmmm," I said. "I could get used to that after work."

"I'll see what I can arrange, Babe," he whispered in my ear. The elevator stopped and he fobbed us into the apartment. He set the basket down gently, and carefully put Rex's cage on the counter. And then his arms were around me, his cheek resting against mine. "Are you OK? Santos said you got banged up on the takedown earlier."

I nodded, causing my cheek to rub against his stubble. "I'll be bruised and sore tomorrow, but nothing's broken."

He nuzzled his nose against my temple. "Santos also said you saved him from getting stabbed. Proud of you, Babe."

Those words always gave me a warm glow, and today was no exception. I turned my head into his lips for a heart-stopping kiss, and backed up with him into the bedroom.

An hour later we lay on the bed, our legs tangled together and my nose nuzzling against his chest. Normally we liked to spoon back-to-chest in bed, but my injured left arm meant I wanted to lay on my right side. He gently brushed my hair away from my sweat-slicked face and tucked it behind my ear. "How are you feeling Babe?" He gently touched my swollen arm, with no more pressure than a brush of fabric.

I grinned and nuzzled his collarbone. "Pretty good, Batman. Fishing for compliments?"

He chuckled, making his chest rise and fall in front of my face. It was good to feel him be so relaxed. "You know what I mean. How is your arm? I tried to keep from touching it."

"Is that why you had me on top again?" I was beginning to think Lula was right.

"What about Lula?"

 _Shit! I must have said that aloud_. "Nothing."

"Babe."

As always, he could say so much with one word. I think this time he meant 'what are you talking about, you might as well tell me, you know I'm going to get it out of you eventually.'

"Seriously, Ranger. It was nothing." For a moment I thought he was going to drop it. I was being foolish. Ranger was a master interrogator. He made hardened criminals and Columbian drug lords and terrorists spill their secrets. I didn't stand a chance. Admittedly, he probably didn't get information out of them by tickling, but that was the tactic he used on me.

He pinned me underneath him, still careful to avoid my left arm. One hand went for my right armpit, the other reached back and got the bottom of my left foot. I squealed and wriggled under him, trying to get away. It was hopeless. He knew far too much about how to hold someone down, even without hurting them at all. Then he pulled out his nastiest weapon of all.

Ranger slid back and dipped his head down between my legs, giving me a long, slow lick. I shuddered and arched my back from the sensation. Then he took my clit in his mouth and rolled it around, playing with it as his tongue caressed the sensitive nub. I grabbed the sheets as I felt two fingers enter me, swirling around in my depths. I could feel the pressure building inside me, pushing me to the edge…

And then it stopped. Ranger lifted his chin and set it on my pubic bone, staring up at me. "Babe, what were you saying?"

"Dammit Ranger, don't stop!" I yelled as I felt his fingers curl inside me.

"What were you saying before? You can make the pleasure come back, or, you can make it go away." He gave my clit a quick flick with his thumb to remind me how good his touch could feel.

He was right, there was no way I wasn't going to give him the information eventually, and I reeeeally wanted another orgasm. I spit out the answer as fast as I could. "Fine. Lula said that she thought you'd be into kinnky shit like to be handcuffed to the bed because it was the guys who were in positions of power who were into that stuff and dammit give me my orgasm!"

He laughed and put his head back down, adding a third finger to the two inside me and putting his lips where I wanted the most. In less than thirty seconds he had me back to where I had been before, and a moment later I felt myself clamp down on his fingers as shockwaves passed through me, and I lost all awareness of anything but the pleasure inside me.

Ranger's POV

I watched Stephanie have her third orgasm of the night from my favorite vantage point; between her legs, looking up at her face as she came. Her legs clamped around my head as she writhed around, making me glad for the breath training I had done in Ranger school so I could go without breathing for over a minute. When she relaxed and lay on the bed, spent and pliant, I kissed my way back up her body until my mouth met hers.

"Tell me, Batman; is that how you get the terrorists to tell you where the timebomb is?" I cracked a smile at the idea.

"The Army doesn't have that _particular_ tactic in the Field Manual. And I really don't think _I'd_ enjoy it as much with anyone other than you." I kissed her again, loving the taste of both her sets of lips combined.

"To answer your, or rather Lula's question, I've fantasized about having you in every way imaginable. You on top, me on top, on a blanket in the woods, on the couch, on my desk, in the gym, in each one of my cars, hell, even in the Buick. And I'll admit to some kinky tastes that come into my fantasies sometimes." I kissed her gently on the lips again, then moved along her jaw line and to her neck.

"Does that include handcuffs?"

"Yeah, Babe. On both you and me. Don't worry, I won't pressure you into anything, ever. But let me know if there's anything you want to try. I will say one thing though, I'd only be OK with you handcuffing me here."

She looked at me, puzzled. "Why's that?"

"This is the most secure apartment in the city. If we were at your place, or a hotel, I wouldn't be able to protect you if someone broke in. And I won't leave you vulnerable like that." I refused to put her at risk simply to make the sex hotter. Lula was right, for someone as in control as me, a loss of control _was_ incredibly errotic. But anywhere besides here, I needed to be ready to defend her at a moment's notice, and it's tough to do that chained to a bed.

Babe snuggled up closer to me, and her slowed breathing told me she was close to falling asleep. "What did you fantasize the most about?"

"Two things. When I used to watch you sleep, I fantasized a dozen times a minute of crawling into bed with you and holding you to me, just like this." I carefully wrapped my body around hers to hold her closer.

"And the other?"

"That night early on when you called me from the shower, and I rescued you from being handcuffed to the bar. I can't tell you how many times I fantasized about you being so grateful that you wanted to have me right there."

That fantasy of her comforted me more nights than I can count, especially when I was in the wind and sleeping on a dirt floor or being held captive, not knowing if I'd ever see her again. The simple fact that she had been relieved rather than scared to see me was amazing. This sheltered white girl from the 'Burg who had only ever seen me when I was trying to be tough and intimidating. She hadn't shied away from me, despite being in such a vulnerable position.

"I didn't think you'd noticed how I looked. You were so cool that night."

"All an act, Babe. You took my breath away. Then and always."

And with that, her breathing slackened and her muscles went limp as she fell into sleep.


	23. Chapter 23

_Recap: Ranger gets Stephanie to admit the conversation with Lula about kinks, using his own unusual interrogation technique._

Ranger's POV

I woke Stephanie at 7. Late for me, early for her. I had already been awake, to the gym, showered, and working for hours by the time I got her up. I stood leaning against the wall watching her sleep for a few minutes before I had the heart to actually wake her.

"Hey Babe, time to get up. We have a big weekend ahead of us." She mumbled something profane under her breath, and covered her head with a pillow and burrowing further under the sheets. I jumped into the bed with her, trying to decide if I should try to snuggle her awake or tickle her awake. The night before had been a lot of fun. I might have to interrogate her more often.

My decision was made when a pillow hit me in the face. "Playing with fire Babe" I said, trying to decide what ticklish point was both close to my reach and far from her arm. I lifted the pillow off her face and kissed her. It started as just a gentle peck, but when her lips parted mine my tongue glided in to meet hers. Her left arm snaked out from under the sheets and wrapped around my back, giving me my first look at it since last night. As expected, it was black and blue, with darker streaks where the lip of the trash can had pushed into her skin.

I've seen a lot of injuries in my very violent life. I've seen men walk on a broken leg to escape a firefight, seen organs that should never be exposed to the light of day, evan watched as one of my best friends died from sniper fire right in front of me. It is, sadly, a normal part of my existence. But somehow those gruesome injuries don't awaken my protective instincts the way a simple bruised arm did when it was on the woman I loved.

I gently lifted my head to inspect her arm more carefully. I resisted the urge to touch it, but did kiss her shoulder and elbow around the injury. "How does it feel Babe?" I asked her softly.

She stretched and flexed her arm. "Not too bad. A little sore, but I think I can still use it. I don't think I'm going to be wearing any sleeveless dresses anytime soon, however. Don't want people thinking you'd beaten me up."

I blanched at the idea of ever hurting her. "You know I'd never do that, right?"

"Yeah. Joe saw me last night and asked if you had hurt me. I told him you hadn't. I know you never would."

"You saw Morelli?" I kept my tone as neutral as possible.

"He stopped by when I was getting my things. I told all I wanted from him was space, and to leave me alone until I reached out to him. But he saw my arm and made sure it wasn't you who did it. Then he left."

I nodded. I might not be happy about it, but I couldn't be too upset that he was looking out for her. And if I _had_ been the one that hurt her, I would have deserved whatever Morelli dished out.

My thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the front door. "That's Ella with breakfast. Granola and yogurt for me, and I believe pancakes for you." Her eyes sparkled and she jumped up, grabbing a Rangeman t-shirt to put over her head. Seems there's a fairly easy way to get her out of bed after all.

An hour later we were on the road, me in my zone, and her trying to guess what I had planned for the weekend. All I'd told her was to bring a pair of shoes for walking, a pair for dancing, and whatever she would need for pulling her hair back and securing it well. Her laundry basket (minus Rex) was sitting in the back seat of the Cayenne, holding the shoes and a few pairs of clothes.

"Ranger, why aren't you taking 95 South?" She asked, interrupting her string of conversation.

"Because I'm dropping you off somewhere first." I said, getting onto Rt 1 headed for the Turnpike.

She pouted a little, playfully, and ran her hands up and down my arm. "Our first big date and you won't be there?"

She was making a pretty good argument for me staying with her, but I didn't think the Secret Service would accept being overwhelmed by lust as a good reason to be late.

"Sorry Babe, but I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy what I have planned. I don't think you'd enjoy my meeting nearly as much."

She gave my leg a playful rub that made me strongly consider pulling over to the side of the road.

40 minutes later she realized where we were headed. "Sweet! The King Of Prussia Mall?"

I smiled at her. "It doesn't open for another hour, but I booked you an appointment at the spa across the street. Once that's over, you get a shopping trip." I pulled into the parking lot of the massage parlor and handed her an envelope. She pulled out the two credit cards. "The American Express is a company card in your name. Use that for business expenses. I'll need you to get two outfits to wear for the job. We aren't sure exactly what role you'll be playing, so get clothes for both. First, black slacks, black jacket, white shirt. Second, casual shirt and jacket. Both should be loose-fitting enough to hide the fact that you are wearing a kevlar vest, so you probably want to go a size up. The jackets should be long enough to cover the fact that you'll be carrying. Make sure the white shirt isn't sheer enough that you can see the vest."

She grinned at me. "I'd have thought you'd want me to get clothes that were very tight and very sheer."

Internally I groaned. This meeting would feel like it was taking forever. "That's what the second card is for. According to my research, this mall has two Victoria's Secret stores, and a Soma Intimates. The Visa is tied to my account. I want you to buy enough lingerie that I can tear it off of you without guilt about leaving you without underwear." _Although the idea of her walking around without any underwear was driving me crazy_. "I'd also like for you to get a good rolling suitcase, you can put that on the company card, since you'll be traveling for work occasionally, and you can't very well check the laundry basket on a flight. If you get that first, you won't have to worry about carrying anything else on your left arm. On my card I'd love for you to get a nice outfit for tomorrow night, I'm sure you can find something here that you like."

I got out of the car to open her door, and extended a hand to lift her out. "I'll call you when I'm headed back here." I shut the door, then pinned her to the car with a kiss. My hands ran through her hair and hers settled on my hips. I deepened the kiss, running my tongue along her teeth. She responded by wrapping her legs around my waist. If she had been wearing a skirt instead of jeans I would have entered her right there in the parking lot, but I managed to restrain myself.

I set her down gently and managed to pull myself away. "Have fun shopping. Get a mani/pedi if you like, but don't get your hair styled. Don't worry about the money, Rangeman is getting paid very well for this gig."

"Are you sure? I thought the Sequester meant the Secret Service was struggling financially."

"The campaign reimburses the government for certain costs related to political rallies." I kissed her again, then looked into her eyes. "I mean it Babe, get whatever you want. But I do want a fashion show later tonight." I whispered into her ear "And I'm hoping there will be several little pink bags in your suitcase when I pick you up." I kissed her once more, then got in the car and drove away before I pulled her into the backseat and made myself late for my meeting.

Stephanie's POV

OK, so a dream date with a hot guy usually involves the hot guy being in the same city, but a massage and hours at the KOP mall was a pretty sweet deal. It's the second largest mall in the US, nearly 3 _million_ square feet of retail space, and I had a black AmEx and a Visa Platinum burning a hole in my pocket.

First stop was the massage parlor. A kind-looking woman met me at the front desk. "Do you have an appointment?"

"Um, I guess so. Is there a reservation for Stephanie Plum?"

She looked at her book. "Certainly is. Reserved as a gift by a third party. Full package, hot stone massage, facial, aromatherapy. Is this your first time with us?"

Two hours later I was feeling nice and relaxed, my skin was glowing, and I smelled wonderful. I headed across the street to the mall for a day of shopping.

Shopping without Lula wasn't at much fun, but I did get through my list faster without her getting distracted by every pair of shoes she saw. It only took me an hour to get the suitcase, both sets of clothes for the security job, and a killer dress. It was deep blue with veins of sequins. I thought it brought out the blue in my eyes. I'd found a matching set of FMPs and a purse as well.

I decided to go to Victoria's Secret before getting a manicure, so I wouldn't have to worry about smudging the polish. At least _here_ I knew I wouldn't feel at all guilty about spending Ranger's money. I know he sometimes makes up jobs for me that he doesn't really need, or catches a skip at a bar instead of at home so I have a role to play. I take the jobs because I do need the money, but it's awkward to have him spend lavishly on me. It's even more awkward to spend lavishly on myself with his money, when he isn't here. But I'm pretty sure I'll feel no guilt buying the sexiest lingerie I can find. As he said, he might well want to tear them off me, and I didn't want him to have any guilt about ruining clothes I had paid for. So i was doing him a favor spending his money on it, right?

I was in Spencer's Gifts when Ranger called me. "My meeting is done, and I'm on my way. It's rush hour traffic, so it will take me at least an hour to get there. Did you have a good shopping trip?"

"Yup. Got everything on the list, plus some other things I bet you'll enjoy."

"I can't wait. Meet me outside Nordstroms, I'll call when I'm in the parking lot." And he disconnected.

An hour left me enough time to get a manicure, and I was feeling playful. I got bright yellow nails with tiny little black bats on them, then headed over to Nordstrom's to wait for Ranger. I waited for him at the scent counter, buying a small bottle of Bvgari Green shower gel in case he had forgotten to pack any. OK, I admit it, I just wanted to be able to smell him before he got here. I was getting impatient. Having a rolling bag to put everything in had certainly helped with carrying everything, but I was anxious to continue what we had started in the parking lot of the massage parlor.

55 minutes after he had called me, Ranger texted to say he was outside. I rushed to the door, happy to see him leaning against the car waiting for me. He took me in his arms and kissed me like we had been apart for weeks instead of hours. I whispered in his ear, "want to see all my new purchases?" I'd bought enough bra and panty sets, teddies, and corsets to keep him tearing clothes off me for a month.

"Soon Babe. One more stop before we go to the hotel." He lifted my suitcase into the backseat of the car. I got in, but before he put the car in gear he told me to close my eyes.

"What are you planning?"

"It's a secret Babe. Just close your eyes. It will only be for a minute."

I closed them as he drove off, fidgeting at not being able to see. I felt the car move slowly, then pull into a parking space. "Alright, Babe. Open your eyes." I could hear the smile in his voice.

I opened them up and looked to see where I was. "Ohmigod!" I squealed. "This is so cool!"


	24. Chapter 24

_Author's note: I finished Turbo 23 (even though it only came out yesterday). I'm not giving spoilers, but I will say Babes like me will like it far more that 22. Also, it seems some of the things I've written in the story previously are now non-canon, but I'll just roll with it, and ret-con where practical._

 _I'd planned on writing more than this scene for this chapter, but it would have taken another day or two to write it (Maybe more, as I'm going to a conference this weekend), but some of you seemed fairly impatient in the comments, and I am, as always, at your beck and call._

 _Recap: Ranger starts the date with a massage and shopping trip for Stephanie. He picks her up at the mall and brings her someplace else, Stephanie is excited for where they go, but I was mean and didn't reveal it._

Ranger's POV

As expected, the meeting had felt like it had taken days instead of hours. My mind kept drifting back to Stephanie; imagining her trying on sexy underwear and getting a massage. But I'd managed to keep my focus, hoping we could get all the planning done at once.

The drive back to King Of Prussia had been excruciating. Traffic out of Philly at rush hour is enough to drive anyone crazy, and it was only knowing what was waiting for me back at the mall that had me leave Philly immediately, instead of killing a couple of hours at the condo near the Museum I had rented for the weekend, and leaving when traffic had lightened up. But I had plans for Stephanie, and I didn't want to wait a moment longer than I had to.

She looked bright and happy when I met her at Nordstrom's. Massage, a facial, and a day of shopping without worrying about money will do that for Stephanie. I kissed her the way I had been fantasizing all day, and was sorely tempted to just go to the hotel nearby when she offered to model her purchases. _Keep it together Manoso, you're an adult and can control your hormones_.

I told her to close her eyes as I drove to our next destination. She wasn't thrilled about it, but I knew the surprise would be worth it. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face.

Stephanie's POV

When I was little I put a cape on my neck and jumped off the roof of the garage, breaking my arm and leading to my excellent tic-tac-toe skills. I tried to use a pillow as a bridge between furniture. This also did not work. I used to spend hours running around with Mary Lou, me as Peter Pan and her as Wendy. I still have an obsession with Wonder Woman.

In other words, I have always wanted to fly.

"Ohmigod!" I squealed. "This is so cool!"

"I thought you'd like it Babe." Ranger leaned over and kissed my cheek, but I kept staring at the tall white building with the iFly logo on it.

Ranger had eschewed the standard movie-dinner-dancing, and instead was taking me indoor skydiving.

I'll spare the details on training and getting suited up, I was a tiny bit nervous, but it looked like so much fun. There was a large clear tube with a massive fan under it that blew air up anywhere from 90 to 170 miles an hour. Now I knew why Ranger had said not to get my hair done, the helmet and hurricane-speed wind would have ruined it immediately.

I stood outside the opening to the tube, my heart beating faster that a steel drum player performing Flight of the Bumble Bee while hopped up on meth. I gripped Ranger's hand for a moment then stepped into the wind.

I leaned my body forward, the instructor keeping his arm loosely around my waist, avoiding my injured left side. The wind blew by my face like when Ranger and I were rushing down the highway in his convertible, but it was surprisingly easy to breath. For a moment I was held still by the instructor, then I gave the signal and he let go and I was flying.

For the first time since I had lept off the garage roof more that 20 years ago I was free of gravity, touching nothing, floating in the fast moving air. I turned to look at Ranger, who was standing outside, arms crossed, smiling at me. The wind speed picked up and I flew higher, several feet above the head of the instructor. I spread my arms and arched my back and closed my eyes, imagining for a brief moment that I was flying above Trenton. While I tried to keep my body steady, in my mind I was swooping and diving around the buildings, getting a birds-eye view of the Burg, seeing how small it really was.

My time in the air ended far too quickly. The air slowed, and I drifted down, the instructor guiding me out the door and into Ranger's waiting arms. I held tight to him, flush with joy and adrenaline. "That was AMAZING Ranger! It felt so wonderful, so free!" He bent his head and covered his mouth with mine, wrapping his arm around my neck, pulling me closer. I put all my excitement and passion into the kiss, all the feelings that had arisen from feeling unconstrained.

It was of course at this point that my mother called.

My phone rang from my purse a few feet away. I sighed and pulled away from the kiss reluctantly. I pulled the phone out and stepped away as Ranger and the instructor were talking.

"Mom, this isn't the best time right now."

"Where are you? You're 10 minutes late for dinner. And is Joseph joining us tonight?"

 _Shit! I'd forgotten to tell my mother I was going to be out of town. And that I had broken up with Joe. And that I was sleeping with Batman._

"Sorry, Mom. Something came up." Me. _Snicker_. "I won't be there tonight, I'm out of town all weekend."

"Are you and Joseph having a romantic weekend away?"

"Joe and I aren't seeing each other anymore."

"Oh dear, did you two have another fight?"

Ranger's POV

Sometimes watching someone you love have a good time is better than having it yourself. Watching Steph as she flew made my heart swell with joy, seeing the pure ecstasy on her face. I suppose a lesser man could have been hurt a little that she actually looked happier than when I gave her an orgasm, but I'm not the type to get jealous over fast moving air. She looked so relaxed, as if the wind had lifted all the expectations of the world from her shoulders.

All too soon she came down, breathless and flushed with happiness. The kiss I got was worth every penny I had spent the flights, the massage, and however much she had spent on her shopping trip. It would have been even better if her mother hadn't interrupted us with a phone call.

When Babe stepped away to talk to her mom, I went to speak with the flight instructor. "Can I do the next flight with her?"

"Have you been in one of these before? It's best to learn how the air feels and how to move in it alone.

A memory surfaced, unbidden. Parachuting at night into a Colombian jungle. Having only a small clearing the about size of a living room to land in without getting caught in branches. Training for weeks before to hone my accuracy.

"Yeah, I've been skydiving a few times." I said, understating by a factor of about 50. I'd been on over 300 jumps, some into hostile territory. I was pretty sure I could handle a wind tunnel in suburban Philadelphia.

Stephanie came back, looking like her mother had soured her good mood. "Ready for another flight, Babe?" I asked, hoping to distract her.

She nodded, and we stepped into the tube together, spinning into the air slowly. I didn't kiss her in case our heads knocked together, but we held hands and gazed into each other's eyes in a thoroughly sappy manner. The joy rose in her face again as the two of us hung in mid-air, with nothing in the world to hold onto except each other.

Yup, worth every penny.

 _I'd hoped to actually go try this before writing about it, but it just didn't work out this week. I watched videos and read the website, and I hope I was reasonably accurate. If you want to see what competitive indoor skydiving can look like, I'd recommend looking on youtube for_ Sia - Chandelier: Maja Kuczyńska Skydance


	25. Chapter 25 The Tastykake

OMG, you folks will not believe the awesome coincidence I had today. I'm attending a conference all weekend, and at one point was directed to the wrong building, As I was wondering around looking for the right one, a familiar word caught my eye, Bvgari. I had, completely by accident, wandered near one of only 17 Bvgari stores in the country. So, of course I had to go in and buy some shower gel, which for some reason took, like, 30 minutes, and involved a tour of the architecture of the store and a book on the history of the company. By the way, Stephanie is right, the shower gel is hellaciously expensive. About what I would spend on all personal care items, plus a haircut, in a year. But! I now smell like Ranger. I may even wear all black tomorrow to celebrate.

I case you are wondering, yes, it smells lovely. No, it does not smell so good that it's worth about 100x cost as the stuff I usually buy. I wish I was exaggerating the price. I probably won't use it much, but I may keep it on my desk so i can get good whiffs when I'm writing. Help me get in touch with my inner Ranger.

Super short chapter today, I need sleep and I have to be up in a few hours for the conference. I hadn't planned on updating all weekend, but totally had to tell about the shower gel. So I'm giving you the beginning of what would have been one chapter. It will end in a cliffhanger I probably can't finish until Monday or Tuesday, so if you don't want to be in suspense, wait until I post the next chapter.

Recap: Ranger takes Stephanie indoor skydiving, allowing her to finally fly.

Ranger's POV

Stephanie was so full of glee that she was practically skipping. I don't think I'd ever seen her so happy. It made me glad that I'd gotten a luxury hotel room nearby instead of having to go back into the city. I was fully planning on taking advantage of her mood.

We parked and grabbed our things, including the new suitcase that I really wanted to get a peek into. I'd checked my card's statement online while waiting at a red light on my way back to her, and was pleased to see she had spent plenty at a couple of lingerie shops, Nordstroms, and for some reason Spencer's gifts. I was glad she was willing to spend my money. I had plenty, and could think of no better use for it than dressing her up in skimpy clothes and tearing them off with my teeth.

We checked in, then went up to our luxury suite. I'd gotten one with a hot tub and balcony overlooking a small grove of trees. On the long, slow ride up the elevator Babe kept closing her eyes and smiling, and I could tell she was remembering the feeling of flying by the way her body kept swaying. We rushed to the suite when the elevator doors opened, ready to tear each other's clothes off.

Then she stopped and looked at me, mischief in her eyes.

"You know what I need right now?"

"Babe" I said. I sure as hell knew what I needed now. Her, naked.

"A Tastykake."

"What?" I said, actually dumbstruck for a moment.

"A Tastykake. I saw some in the little store in the lobby."

"Babe, tell me you aren't serious." I started to nibble on her neck, thinking maybe I needed to find her a chapter of cake-eater's anonymous.

"I'm serious. Can you go get me a Tastykake? Please?"

Dammit. She was looking at me with those big blue eyes. I'd literally killed for those eyes.

"Fine. I'll go get you a Tastykake. But we really do have to discuss your eating habits. Those things will kill you." And waiting any longer might kill me.

I left the room quickly, deciding that the stairs would be faster than the elevator. The shop did have Tastykakes, but it was closed and I had to get the desk agent to open it up. I was paying for the damn things when my phone rang. I answered it without looking.

"Yo"

"Ranger?"

"Yes."

"It's Stephanie Plum. I'm handcuffed to my shower curtain rod, and I need someone to open the cuffs. And besides, I'm naked."

Madre de dios. I raced out of the shop, leaving the change though I'd paid with a hundred. Again I decided to skip the elevator and raced up all 10 stories to our room. I entered that bathroom and there she was, straight out of my fantasies. Except in my fantasies she wasn't wearing a teal crotchless and cupless teddy, the handcuffs weren't fur-lined, and there wasn't a large bottle of lube sitting on the tub edge.

Looks like reality could beat fantasy after all.


	26. Chapter 26

_Recap: Stephanie and Ranger go to a nearby hotel. She sends him out for Tastykakes, much to his annoyance. She calls him back saying she is handcuffed naked to the shower rod._

Stephanie's POV

The look of frustration on Ranger's face when I sent him downstairs would have been pity-inducing if I hadn't known what I was planning for him. I'd considered just setting up in the bathroom with him in the bedroom, but I wanted a little more time and the ability to make noise that wouldn't be picked up by his bat-like hearing. Plus, this way I knew he'd have to finish the conversation on the phone and not walk into the bathroom asking why I was calling him.

He burst into the room in less than 1.5 minutes, impressive since his panting showed he'd taken the stairs. I'm not sure I'd ever actually seen him out of breath before, even after running for miles. His eyes dilated as he stalked towards me.

"I appreciate your coming out in the middle of the night," I said.

Ranger smiled. "Didn't want to miss seeing you chained up naked."

We were replaying that conversation from so long ago. But now, I was going to change the script. Maybe it's not what I should have said _that_ night, but it's what I should have said long ago.

"In fact, I appreciate you coming so much, I want to pay you back."

"Oh really? I'm all ears."

"I'm so grateful, I'll even pay you back _before_ you let me loose. Do whatever you want to me."

And with that he crushed his mouth to mine, one hand wrapping around my back, the other entangled in my hair. I groaned as his tongue stroked mine, curling and twisting as I felt him harden against my stomach. I shifted slightly, and the bottle of lube fell onto the floor. Ranger glanced at it, and I let out a little whine of protest as he bent down to grab it. But instead of standing back up to kiss me again, he was staring at the crotchless teddy and grinning.

Before I know it his mouth was on my other lips, and I arched my neck at the sensation. Then he hooked my legs over his shoulders, lifting me up with my back against the wall. I grabbed the shower rail with both hands to steady myself as he nibbled at me.

I heard the lube bottle pop open, and him squirting out what sounded like a fair amount. I wasn't paying too much attention until I felt him sliding three fingers into me, twisting slightly to push them further up, then adding a forth.

I let out a long moan. I was going to be sore as hell the next day, but I really didn't care. I just wanted as much of him inside me as I could get.

"More…" I managed to get out, likely incoherently. He looked up and grinned at me, then nipped at my button as he added the thumb.

I screamed as the orgasm hit me like a freight train. His left arm went around my waist to steady me, but wave after wave of pleasure made me buck around on his shoulders. He gently lowered me down while I was still in the throws of orgasm, and I heard a foil packet tear open and a zipper come down. He gently pulled his hand out of me, then gave a long lick to sooth my stretched lips.

" _Dios_ , Babe. I want you so much I don't even want to wait to get undressed."

"Then don't."

He grinned, then spun me around so I was facing the shower wall. "Still feeling grateful?"

I nodded, and he rubbed his cock against me, then pushed in gently where his fingers had been a moment before.

Ranger's POV

It's amazing how you can fantasize about something a thousand times, but still be amazed when it becomes real. Being behind Stephanie, with her handcuffed to the shower rail? Far better than I had dared hope, especially when she was so pliant from the first of what I hoped would be a dozen orgasms.

I was half supporting her weight, pushing deep into her from the improved angle. I took my slick fingers and circled her nipples, my other hand doing the same to her clit. She shivered pleasantly as I drove myself into her, knowing she would be ready from the work of my hand.

I started to nibble on her neck, licking and sucking at the place where it met her shoulder. She moaned again as I thrust harder into her, moving my hands as rapidly as I could so she would cum again before I did. It was hard though, I dare you to try to hold it in when you are living a fantasy you've replayed in your head at least weekly for years.

Just as I was about to lose control I felt her clamp down on me and she yelled again. I let myself go, careful to still support her weight. I felt my mind go blank, and there was nothing but the feel of her around me.

I opened my eyes, feeling her sagging in my arms. I kissed my way along her back, which was rising and falling from her heavy breathing. I gently extracted myself, then grabbed the key from on top of the toilet tank and unlocked her wrist. I kissed all around it to soothe any soreness.

"That was amazing Babe. Better than I imagined it."

"Mmmmhmmmmm" she murmured, "Nice"

I laughed, not something I do often. "Far better than nice."

"I'm all sticky, but I don't want to stand up for a shower, or get the bed covered in lube"

"No problem babe. I got a suite with a Jacuzzi bathtub."

I stripped off my clothes, unhooked her teddy, and carried her around the corner of the bathroom. I set her in the large tub and started to fill it with warm water, very much looking forward to giving her a good scrubbing.


	27. Chapter 27

_For those of you who celebrate it, Happy Thanksgiving. For those of you who don't, I hope you'll forgive the short chapter. 3 hours to make 10 pounds of Mashed potatoes, 2 dozen Deviled eggs, a carrot, feta, onion, and bbq sauce side dish, clean out my garden, redo my nails, and take a shower just seemed to be pushing it along with expanding on what I wrote last night._

 _Recap: Ranger and Stephanie have fun in the shower._

Stephanie's POV

I woke with the sun streaming in my face from the open curtain. I was tangled up in Ranger's arms and legs, my face pressed to his chest. I snuggled in even closer to him, enjoying the intimacy of being entwined with him. He responded by tightening his arms and kissing the top of my head.

"Morning sleepyhead."

"Is that your new nickname for me? Seems more awkward than 'Babe'. Though I do appreciate extra syllables to figure out what you mean."

He poked me at my jest, and I poked him back, and then we were kissing, and then he was poking me again, but not with his finger.

An hour later we were getting dressed and packing up.

"I noticed something in the past 12 hours."

"What's that, SleepyBabe?"

I threw a pillow at him. He caught it in mid-air and gently placed it on the bed.

"Last night and this morning, you were in such an Alpha-male role. Me handcuffed, you literally carrying my weight on your shoulders, you bathing me. It was a lot like what happened the previous times we've made- I mean, had sex." Shit, I'd nearly called it Making Love. I wasn't ready to say that yet.

His raised eyebrow showed he hadn't missed my slip of the tongue, but wasn't going to say anything at the moment.

"But in the past couple days before that, I've _always_ been on top. I was just wondering, why the switch?"

He looked at me for a moment. "Because that was what you needed."

"I needed cowgirl style?"

He shook his head. "You were feeling out of control in your life. Everyone else told you what to do all the time, and tore you down when you tried to go your own way. Honestly, it scared me a bit how upset you were on Tuesday. You were wound so tight you looked like you might crack. I wanted you to feel in control of your life, at least some part. So when it came time to make love, I wanted you to feel like, no, I wanted you to _know_ that you were making all the choices. And even last night, _you chose_ the scenario. It might have been my fantasy, but you were the one that took action to make it come true."

It was such a considerate thing for him to have done. I knew how much testosterone he had, not to mention what a control freak he could be. Ranger putting me in charge probably wasn't an easy thing for him to do. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him, enjoying the sensation of having his body pressed against mine. And I hadn't missed that he had said 'making love', while I had been too scared to. I wasn't quite ready to go there yet, so I switched subjects.

"So Batman, what do you have planned for me this weekend, or are we just going to spend it in bed?"

His eyes grew dark and I had a feeling that he wouldn't mind that idea at all. I wouldn't be too upset at it either. Unfortunately, my stomach was growling.

"Do you want to go downstairs and have breakfast Babe, or order room service?"

I still needed to process the whole 'making love' thing. Did I love Ranger? Well, yes, I'd known that for a long time. Was I 'in love' with him? Probably. I had feelings I hadn't ever had before. Not with Joe, certainly not with Dicky. Maybe I hadn't ever really been in love before, so how was I supposed to know? Shit. I needed waffles. "Let's go downstairs. It will be quicker."

We finished packing and went downstairs to the breakfast buffet set out. I made a beeline for the Belgian Waffle-maker. Ranger got a piece of fruit and a bagel. Even on vacation, he just doesn't know how to eat. I joined him at the table he'd picked out with his boring food, while I had a waffle covered in strawberries and whipped cream. He smiled that fractional Ranger smile when he saw my plate. "That stuff'll kill you, Babe."

"It's healthy. See? Fruit!" I said, pointing to the strawberries smothered in the whipped cream. I took a bite, moaning at the yumminess.

He kissed me then, licking my lips. "Very sweet." he said, having acquired a small amount of whipped cream from my mouth. I dipped my fork in the cream and brought it up to my lips, my tongue darting out to lick it clean.

"Playing with fire again Babe. You keep that up and we'll never get to the Zoo."


	28. Chapter 28

_Recap: Ranger explains to Steph why he made sure she was on top their first couple days together, they get breakfast, Ranger says they are going to the Zoo._

Ranger's POV

I admit, I didn't spend much time looking at the animals at the zoo. Instead, I watched Stephanie. She has this way of looking at the world, I wouldn't exactly call it childlike. It's more like she sees the world without cynicism. She can stand in a crowd of people looking at giraffes, and just enjoy them for the magnificent creatures they are. I kept scanning the crowd, looking for threats. And watching her. I loved seeing her eyes light up whenever she saw a new animal.

When we reached the lions she was enraptured with them, watching them move with their feline grace. Her arm wrapped around my waist. "They look like you."

"You saying I need a haircut, Babe?"

She playfully jabbed me with her left shoulder, then winced at the sudden pain. As expected, it had turned a nasty shade of purple. I'd been careful to avoid touching it, only planting the gentlest of kisses on it. She hadn't let me coddle her though, which was both frustrating and arousing. I wanted to keep her safe, she wanted to fly. I wouldn't love her so much if she didn't.

"You know what I mean. You move the same. The quiet grace, the predator's gait. The air of being master of all that's around you."

"Babe." I said, as I kissed the top of her head. We moved on from the lions to the jaguars. They were behind a large plate of glass instead of a concrete chasm, so we were only a few inches away from the habitat. The cat leapt down from its perch and stalked towards us, its shoulder blades visibly rotating with every step. Babe leaned forward, whispering "Oh, it's beautiful."

She had no way of knowing that I had once come face to face with a jaguar while I was fighting rebels in Colombia. It was a couple of months after we had met, when I'd been attracted to her but not let her know that yet.

 _Santos and I had been alone in the jungle for two weeks, trying to rescue the kidnapped child of a judge in Bogota. Kidnapping is a cottage industry in some parts of South America, and this judge had spoken out against the FARC, the rebel group that had been fighting the Colombian government for decades. With the fate of her child in the balance, the judge had refused to hold session, risking a case that had taken years to build. So the government called me and Santos in to rescue the eight year old._

 _It had been the dead of night. We'de been unable to light a fire, that would have been the same as hanging a neon sign saying 'please ambush here'. So we took turns sleeping, or what passes for sleep when you are on a mission. An hour here and there of fitful unconsciousness. I'd been keeping watch while Santos slept, and pulled out a photo I'd quietly snapped of Stephanie one day while we were getting ready for a stakeout. Her head was turned to the side, checking something on her belt, but her smile was still lighting up the picture. I didn't know why I'd taken it at the time, or why I'd brought it with me. Carrying pictures into enemy territory was dangerous. If you were captured, they might be able to track the person down and threaten them. I'd cut away anything from the picture that might identify where it was taken, so nothing was visible behind her aside from a plain brick wall. No signs, no buildings that might identify the skyline. Just her in all her bounty hunter glory._

" _Who's the chick" Santos said, startling me. Shit, how had I let him sneak up on me? Some lookout I was. If he had been FARC, we both would have been dead. I started to put the photo away, but Santos grabbed it, staring at it in the faint moonlight that managed to permeate the jungle canopy._

" _Pretty. Friend of yours?"_

" _Give it back, Santos" I growled, not willing to let him pull me into an elementary school game of keepaway._

" _I'll give it back if you tell me who she is."_

 _That wasn't going to happen. Only thing more dangerous than having her picture was someone else knowing her name. Someone who might not be able to keep it quiet under the wrong circumstances. Circumstances like torture, which was always a possibility on jobs like this._

" _I call her Babe, and that's all I'm telling you."_

" _Babe, huh? How's she in the sack?"_

 _I growled again at the crudeness of his words, which was odd. We had partaken in hundreds of far dirtier conversations over the years. Santos and I had grown up together, and been like brothers for much of our childhood. We had stolen girly magazines and poured over them together, wondering what all that soft skin would feel like. Even after I had moved to Miami, we had stayed in touch. He had been the first person I'd told when I lost my virginity at 15 to a girl I was on the track team with. When we had been in special forces together, we had even shared women sometimes, taking turns with a prostitute or woman at a bar who wanted to have sex with the mysterious Americans. Watching each other's backs when we were vulnerable. The hookers didn't mind, they got paid twice as much for only a little more time, and there are always women willing to hook up with American soldiers at certains ports. Santos and I look enough alike that if one of us was a woman's type, we usually both were. This had led to a few nights I hope Steph never learned about, her Catholic upbringing might make it more than she wanted to know._

 _Before Santos and I could settle our differences, we heard a rustling in the underbrush. Something was out there, and we were making enough noise that we had attracted its attention. We both became silent, not even breathing. I quietly pulled my weapon from my side holster, aiming at the shaking leaves._

 _When the jaguar stepped out, I wasn't sure if I should feel relief or not. It wasn't the FARC, so there wasn't backup. Jaguars hunt alone, so it was unlikely there was another one sneaking up behind us. But my bullets were meant for humans, and I wasn't sure if they could kill a cat that massive before it at least got a good swipe at us. And out here, any deep cut would get infected and could kill just as effectively as the creature's teeth. Just far more slowly and painfully. We had a more powerful gun in our packs, but there was no way to get to it before the cat pounced. So we stared, me pointing a possibly useless gun at a jaguar nearly my size, made of pure, lean muscle and sharp fangs and claws. It staring at humans it didn't quite know what to make of._

 _A slight wind shifted and a moonbeam made it through the leaves far overhead, and the cat and I stared into each other's eyes. Crazy as it sounds, I feel like when our eyes met we came to an understanding. Neither of us knew who would win, but no one would walk away uninjured. It backed up into the undergrowth, and was gone._

"Ranger?" I heard Stephanie say.

"Yeah Babe?

"You've been staring at that leopard for over 5 minutes. What's going on in your head?"

"Just remembering something. And it's a jaguar, not a leopard."

"Whatever. You two were staring at each other for so long, it was like you were having a conversation."

"Just an understanding. One hunter to another. Let's move on, I hear the small mammal house had fat tailed gerbils, maybe one of Rex's cousins?"

"He's a hamster, not a gerbil."

I kissed her head and walked with her towards the small mammal house. But I looked over my shoulder as we left, not for the security sweeps I did by second nature, but to take one more glance of the sinewy grace of an animal whose relative could have ended me before I'd even let Stephanie know I was attracted to her. I gave it a nod as we walked away.


	29. Chapter 29

_I have good news and bad news. The good news is I got hired for a short term project, I rarely have much work this time of year. It's also absolutely critical work, maybe the most important I've ever done. The bad news is I'm back to 17 hour days. I said last time that I wouldn't be posting for a couple of weeks, and managed to get a few chapters done, and it's possible I'll be able to do that this time as well. But no guarantees, and since I know there will be a cliffhanger coming up, I don't want to write that and then stop updating for 3 weeks. It's also harder for me to do long days when it's so dark out, I want to hibernate. So here's a quick little chapter that's not too relevant to the story. If I can find the time to write 2 chapters I'll post them a couple days apart so I don't leave you hanging, but don't expect much until shortly before Christmas. And I'd appreciate well wishes, I am attempting the impossible, and that makes me mighty (To paraphrase Captain Mal)._

 _Recap: Stephanie and Ranger go to the zoo, Ranger remembers an encounter with a jaguar from shortly after he met Stephanie_

Lester's POV

"Quit being such a baby."

"I'm not being a baby. I just don't like them."

"How many times have you been shot?"

"Four."

"And stabbed?"

"Twice."

"And you're afraid of a flu shot?"

"I'm not afraid, I just don't like them."

"Lester, this is a 25 gauge needle. It is, quite literally, less than 1/50th the width of a 9mm bullet. Not to mention going somewhat slower. Note that Superman was faster than a speeding _bullet_. Not a speeding vaccination."

Look, I knew it was ridiculous that I was putting up such a fight over getting a flu shot. I knew from experience it would hurt for a few seconds, then be slightly sore for a couple days. Less if I did pushups right afterwards. I'd do more damage to myself high fiving Tank during a game of pickup basketball. But needles freak me out, I can't explain it. But it was getting into flu season, and Ranger required everyone to get a flu shot. With so many of us living and working in close proximity, one person getting sick meant we would all be down with the same thing within a week.

That didn't mean I had to like it.

Bobby Stuck the needle into the little glass jar and sucked out a clear liquid, then tapped the side of the syringe to clear out any air bubbles. Aneurysms would put a real crimp in my day, and I had a hot date tonight with Marie. Bobby held my arm and stuck me, with more roughness than I think was strictly necessary.

"There. All done. Do you want a band-aid with Snoopy on it and a lollipop now?"

"Fuck you, Brown."

I jumped off the table and left the infirmary, nearly plowing over Hector on the way out.

" _Careful friend,"_ he said in Spanish.

" _Sorry, was in a hurry to get out of there. I hate needles._ "

Hector laughed. " _Straight boys, all the same._ " He said under his breath.

I blinked at him. " _What does being straight have to do with it?_ "

" _It's Freudian, man. Can't stand getting penetrated by anything. You should try it, you might like it."_

That had to be insane, right? I was _not_ thinking of a needle as a dick, right? There was no way.

" _I'm telling you, it's always the straight boys who get terrified of needles. You ever seen a gay guy afraid of needles? No. Face it, you act all big and tough, but stick a little needle you can barely see into you, and you turn to jelly."_

" _Stick it up your ass, Hector."_ I replied in a fit of extreme maturity.

He laughed all the way into the infirmary. Apparently _he_ wasn't afraid of his flu shot. I got on the elevator and headed for the 4th floor, I had to get ready for my date.


	30. Chapter 30 Off to see the Wizard

_Well, I'm back. Been a hard few weeks, and I missed both writing and the affirmation of getting reviews. Now I have to cram all my Christmas shopping into 4 days. Turns out trying to save the world doesn't leave a lot of time for going to the mall. Or leaving the house. Or getting dressed. Or eating._

 _Recap: At the zoo Ranger sees a jaguar, and has a memory of a time he and Lester met one in the Colombian jungle. He also remembers previous sexual encounters that he had near Lester, as they watched each others backs while in Special Forces. It's possible that may be important later. :)_

Ranger

As expected she had cooed over the animals in the small mammal house. I stood just behind her, wrapping my arms around her stomach and holding my cheek next to hers. Watching her turn and smile at me felt so intimate. "You know I'd do anything for you Babe, right?"

"Anything?" She grinned devilishly. I might regret that statement soon. But then she wiggled her butt against my crotch and I decided whatever it was, it would be worth it.

Steph somehow managed to convince me to buy a tshirt with the jaguar on it. She even got me to wear it. "Babe, this isn't exactly my style."

"Sure it is. It's black. Mostly."

"It has a picture of a cat on it."

"Yes. A dark and sexy cat. Sleek and muscled." She ran her hands along my biceps and I felt my skin tingle.

"Playing with fire, Babe."

She grinned at me. "You know I'm likely to wear it at some point when I'm sleeping. I thought you liked it when I wore your clothes."

That was very true. "When you do, I'll make sure to pet the kitty."

The last stop we made was the monkey house. I stood in the back watching them scurry around. There was one that kept throwing his feces at the other monkeys. He reminded me a little of Santos. I glanced at my watch. We should leave now if we wanted enough time to get ready. "Ready to go babe?"

She looked at me with those big baby blues. "Can we stay a little longer, the monkeys are so cute." I kissed her, long and deep. I put my hand into her hair. "We can watch these normal monkeys a little while longer if you want, but we don't want to be late for our date with the flying ones."

Stephanie

With my desire to fly, vivid imagination, and desperate need to break away from the ordinary, it's no wonder I love The Wizard of Oz. And it happened to be playing at the Walnut Street Theatre. I let out a squeal of delight and squeezed Ranger tight. I drew back and looked in his eyes. What I saw wasn't lust, his eyes didn't darken. It was adoration, caring, and dare I say it…..Love? Shit. I mean, I know he loves me. I know I love him. But we hadn't said it yet. Not without qualifications, an "in my own way", or "my love doesn't come with a ring, but a condom might come in handy".

Ranger wasn't an emotionally expressive guy. He's the type of guy who will show you he loves you by being there whenever you need him, or insisting you take steps to ensure your own safety, or giving you gifts and not getting upset when you get them smashed under a garbage truck. Or walking into an apartment with an armed man, knowing he was likely to get shot, in order to protect you. What were words to that?

So maybe he wouldn't say the words. But the look in his eyes...that told me what I needed to know. "Ok, flying monkeys beat out the non-flying ones any day of the week. Lead on, oh Great Wizard!"

We drove to the condo Ranger had rented for the weekend. It rained for a few minutes after we'd gotten into the car, showing once again Ranger's incredible luck. We didn't get a drop on us, but if we'd stayed at the zoo a few more minutes we would have gotten soaked on our way to the car. On the upside, the quick downpour left us with a blazing rainbow in the sky, something I took as a sign. I'm not sure what it was a sign of, but a sign nonetheless.

The condo was in the Philadelphian, a large building overlooking the Art Museum and the oval where we would be guarding the President in a little over a week. The place wasn't big, but the view was spectacular. Both the Museum and the busy Ben Franklin Parkway stretched out before us. There was a semi-circular couch in the middle of the room, facing the long window that spanned the entire condo. I could totally see myself curling up on that couch with a hot chocolate and watching the world go by. I tossed my bag on the couch and went to go take a shower while Ranger whipped up a light meal in the kitchen. He might have no idea how to eat real food like meatball subs and TastyKakes, but at least his cooking was usually palatable.

I came out wearing nothing but a towel. Ranger was finishing up making some grilled chicken, and had just put them onto a plate when I walked into the combination kitchen/livingroom. I threw him a quick smile, then bent over the back of the couch to open up the suitcase I had left there. I heard a clamor and a splash behind me, and turned my head to see Ranger had dropped a cup of water and was staring at me. The plastic was bouncing around, be he didn't seem to notice. His eyes were locked onto me, and I realized that bending over the back of the couch had made my towel lift up. In a moment he was behind me, gently kissing every vertebrae along my back. I moaned as his fingers gently stroked me and I could feel his erection pressing into my butt.

He hooked a finger under the towel and pulled it away, leaving me bare and damp. And I wasn't just damp because of the shower, or because of his hands on my nipples. The window shades were open and it was still daylight. Below us were hundreds of cars passing by. There were people walking up and down the famous "Rocky" steps to the museum, and in the park in front of it. We were 10 stories up, there was no way they could see us, but it still felt very public. And I found that it turned me on.

I wiggled my butt and pressed it against him, and he moaned as loudly as I had a moment before. "You're killing me Babe." he whispered in my ear, then he looked down at my partially open suitcase. Mostly what was visible was clothing, but he pulled out a box I'd gotten at Spencer's. It was a small vibrator, the kind that went inside you and pressed against your clit at the same time. I generally used my shower massager, but this had been so cute, and it had a little butterfly on it, so i couldn't resist.

He opened the box with one hand, and I heard his zipper open with the other. "I'm glad to see you're expanding your horizons. Do you want to go back to the bedroom?" I could feel his cock sliding between my legs, brushing against me and getting slick with my juices. And I realized I _didn't_ want to go back into the bedroom. Not just because that would mean there were several seconds when he wasn't touching me, but because I was getting _really_ turned on by the idea of him fucking me over the back of a couch while I could see other people. Seems I'm an exibitionioust. Who knew?

Ranger

I had turned around from the kitchen to see Steph leaning over the couch, her pussy glistening from the shower. In the background I heard a noise, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to touch her. I was behind her in three long strides, and started to kiss her back, stripping her towel away from her. There was so much soft skin before me, and I wanted to have it all, to touch it all, to possess her. She pushed against me and I almost came right there. "You're killing me Babe." I said, pulling a condom out of one of the many pockets in my cargo pants. I was about to open my zipper when I noticed the small vibrator in the suitcase. I pulled it out, and opened the package.

"I'm glad to see you're expanding your horizons. Do you want to go back to the bedroom?" I asked, really not wanting to wait to try out this fun new toy. She hesitated for a moment, then shook her head slightly.

"I want you, right here. Now."

I moaned as she ground into me, my dick rubbing between her wet thighs. I wrapped my left hand around her torso, playing with a nipple. With my right I turned on the vibrator and held it against her clit, the vibrations grazing the head of my cock as I slid against her. As her folds opened up I pushed into her, rubbing the vibrating head of the purple object in my hand against her clit. She was quivering with sensation, and I moved my arm to her waist to help hold her up. She put her hands on the back of the sofa and pushed against me, driving me all the way in her in one stroke. At this angle I went deeper than usual, and I was balls-deep inside her. I held still and held my breath for a moment, reveling in the sensation. I wanted to climb completely inside her, to be enveloped by her. But she started rocking back and forth, and I started thrusting again to her rhythm.

I could tell she was looking out the window from the angle of her head, staring out at the world through the huge panes of glass. "Enjoying the view Babe?"

She said something that may have had some meaning when it formed in her brain, but came out as gibberish. I got the gist though. This exibitionism streak was interesting. I might have more fun with that later. Her breath sped up in a way I recognized as her prelude to orgasm. I ground the vibrator harder against her clit, the vibrations traveling through her pubic bone and into me. She gasped and let out a scream, then fell against the couch. I let go and gave three more thrusts, then came myself, trying not to land too hard on her back as we slumped together. Her legs spasmed slightly in her orgasm's afteshocks, and I gently kissed her neck. "So, did you enjoy your trip over the rainbow?" See, I was making stupid jokes again. What this woman did to me.

"I did, but I don't see the point of going off to see the Wizard now, pretty sure he's buried inside me."

"Always happy to please, Babe."


	31. Chapter 31 Heaven and Hell

_Recap: Stephanie and Ranger finish up at the zoo, then go back to the condo they rented before going out for the night to see The Wizard of Oz. They both find out Stephanie has a bit of an exibitionist streak._

Stephanie

The rest of our date was heaven.

The show was amazing. The witches and the monkeys flew, the costumes looked like they'd come off a movie set. The voices were magical, and my heart broke when Dorothy sang 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow.' Ranger sat to my right, holding my hand the entire show. His eyes kept scanning the room, barely looking at the stage. His thumb kept making small circles on my palm and tracing my fingers. I was captivated by the entire show, and when the curtain fell I jumped to my feet to applaud. Ranger stood up next to me, still scanning the room. I slipped an arm around his waist, and he put one around my shoulders, lightly kissing the top of my head.

We exited the theater into the crisp October air. Ranger took off his jacket and draped it across my shoulders, filling my nose with the scent of his Bvlgari shower gel. My stomach grumbled, we had needed to rush out the door without eating to get to the show on time. Not that I was complaining in the least. Ranger bending me over a couch beat grilled chicken any day of the week.

"I guess we should feed the beast." Ranger said, nuzzling my ear. "There's a lot of options around here. Do you want funky or fancy?"

I pondered for a moment. Philly certainly had nicer restaurants than Trenton, but we weren't completely without decent places to eat. Funky though? Funky wasn't really a Trenton thing. "Let's go Funky. I feel like exploring my wild side today."

I couldn't tell for sure in the low light of the street, but I think Ranger's eyes grew dark at those words. "Babe."

Tatooed Mom is a weird, quirky bar on South Street, which is a weird, quirky street about a mile south of city hall. From 14th St to the river it gets crowded, filled with bars and restaurants and shops. On a Saturday night it was stuffed with people, but somehow Ranger still managed to get a parking space just a block away, and a prime seat inside.

Instead of sitting at a table, we were perched on an old couch under a huge mirror, a long coffee table in front of us. I got a Cajun Blackened Chicken sandwich with tater tots, Ranger got a Hummus & Falafel platter. We talked about the show, our work, some of the captures we had made. Normal stuff. When our food arrived I spent 10 minutes trying to get him to eat a tater tot. "Come on Ranger, it will be fun. Try it."

He shook his head. "That stuff will kill you Babe. You should try some of mine. High protien, low fat."

I shook my head. "Sounds awful. I'm serious, what would it take for you to eat a tater tot?"

He nuzzled my earlobe again. "I'll eat one if you sit on my lap and feed it to me."

That sounded like an awesome deal, so I slid onto his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. I reached over to my plate and snagged a tot, then placed it gently between my lips and kissed him. His tongue probed me, scooping the morsel out from between my lips and into his waiting mouth. Then it returned to mine and he deepened the kiss. I thought he would pull away, but instead he ran his left hand into my curls. When I finally broke the kiss to get some air, he had a large dollop of hummus on his finger. He playfully dabbed some on my nose, then licked it off. To get back at him I took his index finger in my mouth and cleaned it off, circling it with my tongue. His body got very still, aside from the bulge I could feel forming under my thigh. I circled his finger again, paying special attention to the knuckle as I pulled the whole thing into my mouth and stared into his eyes.

He sucked in a breath and I felt him grow even harder underneath me. He murmured under his breath something I couldn't quite make out. " _Dios, mujer. Lo que me haces. Podrías ser la muerte de mí y no me importaría mientras me miras así_." (God, woman. What you do to me. You could be the death of me and I wouldn't care as long as you looked at me like that.)

I had an amazing feeling of power. This man was so thoroughly in control of every aspect of his life. Every muscle and eye twitch was carefully monitored. But it was obvious he was about to lose it. He whispered his usual line about playing with fire. I could see the eyes on us from the other people in the room, and it was making me more excited than his erection straining his pants. If I had been back in Trenton, my mother would have been getting calls as soon as we walked in the door of the restaurant. Here I was anonymous. We were surrounded by people who knew nothing about us except that I was with the hottest man they had ever seen.

Ranger

I really couldn't believe what Stephanie was doing. She had always been so shy about public affection. Well, aside from that time in the Turbo. But here she was, with a couple dozen people in eyeshot, basically performing oral sex on my finger. She leaned over and whispered in my ear. "I'm so fucking hot right now, I want to straddle you right here and have you inside me." Her eyes had turned as dark blue as the dress she wore.

I didn't know exactly what had gotten into her, and I didn't care. It was so erotic I didn't even think she'd need to get undressed to make me cum. And while the idea of fucking her on the couch was what fantasies were made of, I didn't want to get a public indecency charge. Might make it a little difficult to get any more government contracts. Though I was pretty close to not caring. So I threw down some money on the table and scooped her up in my arms, holding her strategically. 20 years ago I had performed an identical action with my math textbook to hide exactly the same thing. Let's just say I preferred my current visual shield by a fair margin.

I elbowed my way into the men's bathroom, glaring at the only other occupant. "Out." He took one look at me and the squirming ball of sexiness and curly hair I held in my arms. He gave a curt nod of understanding and sped out the door, which I locked behind us. Stephanie wriggled to be put down, gave me a kiss, then dropped to one knee and opened my zipper.

"Babe…" I said as I sprung free. And then I couldn't say anymore, because I was in her mouth and there was nothing in the world except her lips on me. I leaned back against the door as I tried to hold out, not wanting this feeling to ever stop. I failed miserably. I don't think I lasted 30 seconds before I let out a croak. "Babe, I can't…" and exploded into her. Shudders went down my back as she sucked me dry and the world went blank for a moment.

After a few seconds that felt like blissful eons, I looked down at her. She was grinning with a cat that ate the canary grin. "Babe" I said again. I hoped she got my meaning. In this case, it was 'that was so fucking incredible, and you are the most amazing woman in the world. There is no way I deserve you.'

She stood up and grabbed a paper towel to wipe her mouth with. I tucked myself back into my pants, took one of her hands, and kissed it as lightly as a feather. I don't care how long I live, I can never do enough for her.

I unlocked the door and looked around to see if there was a mass of angry men wanting to use the john. Then I heard it. A toilet flush. We hadn't actually been alone in there, and some guy who was in a stall just got an earful.

Steph put her hand over her mouth, looking like she was torn between mortification, glee, and excitement. I grabbed her hand and threaded our way to the door before the staff got wind of what had happened. I had one more stop planned for us tonight, and it should be magic.

Unfortunately, soon after that our date went to hell.


	32. Chapter 32

_Recap: Ranger and Stephanie watch the play, then go out for dinner. Dinner gets topped off with a blowjob in the bathroom. They leave the restaurant, but Ranger then says the date went to hell as a cliffhanger. Again, I am mean._

Ranger

I planned this date by looking at lists of the most romantic things to do in Philly. On every list was an art installation called Philadelphia's Magic Gardens. It was a combination gallery, mosaic, and park. The walls, ceilings, and even floors were tiled in small mirrors, bits of ceramic, glass bottles, bicycle tires, and other objects. All of it was held together with various colors of cement. I knew Stephanie would love it, it would be like wandering in a real-life Oz, or Wonderland. At least that was the theory.

I was right about Stephanie loving it. What I hadn't considered was that all the hallways and staircases would trigger so many memories for me. Far from feeling like a magic garden as it did for Stephanie, to me it felt like traveling through an urban battlefield while on acid. The place was filled with corridors and staircases and passages with strange corners. In reality they were as colorful and bright as a child's finger painting. But in my mind they transformed into the dusty grey of a desert city. Memories came unbidden as each landscape reminded me of another horror.

We walked through a narrow hallway that I had to duck to get into. A tiny cave-like room smaller than my armspan, and corridors covered in the bright objects. I put all my energy into acting normal, not wanting her to know about the terrors that were crashing around in my mind. I dropped on my 'blank face', as she calls it. I had been trying to avoid that in front of her. But better that than her see the traces of the memories flashing through my eyes.

 _I was skirting along a wall, rifle held out ahead of me. Lester was at my back, watching behind us as we inched along the passageway. My goggles were heavy and uncomfortable, my sweat stuck between my skin and the seals that kept out the ever-present dust. I didn't dare lift them to wipe it away though, both because the momentary distraction could get us both killed, and because the sticky feeling of the sweat beat the risk of getting dust and grit in my eyes. A bullet pinged over our head and we scrambled into a small alcove, returning fire. The sound waves reverberating back on us, causing utter confusion as the ceiling started to crumble above us. I kept shooting as Lester grabbed the neck of my shirt and led me backwards while I provided cover fire._

 _Tank and I were holed up in a small cave in the side of a mountain, eating MREs that just barely qualified as palatable. I was sitting slightly closer the the entrance. In theory, I was acting as lookout, but I'd also wanted the extra light to look at the photo in my hands._

" _Seriously, man. Just ask the woman out already."_

 _I glanced up to look at Tank, who was giving me a knowing smirk. He'd figured out how I felt about Steph the moment he'd seen the two of us together. He'd shot the picture I was holding now, the one of Stephanie as she was getting ready to go in and distract a guy while we repossessed his car. The one where she had kept his interest by mentioning how much she enjoyed group sex. Internally I smiled at the memory. Then I sobered. I had to be realistic._

" _Sure. What woman wouldn't want to date a guy who picks up and leaves on half an hour's notice, when even the continent he's going to is classified, and stays incommunicado for weeks, or even months at a time. Not to mention the chance of death that makes each mission about as safe as a round of Russian Roulette. I care about her too much to do that to her."_

" _So instead you find excuses to give her work she's in no way qualified for."_

" _Hey, she did great on that repo job."_

 _Tank nodded in acknowledgement. "She did. But you brought her into a drug den, and then set her on guard duty. Which she wasn't at all prepared for. She could have gotten hurt in there. And if you'll recall,_ I did _get hurt when she was my partner keeping watch on the building."_

 _He had me there. I should have left her in the car during the eviction, and just had her come up when we were doing the cleanup. But I hadn't wanted her to think I only valued her for doing the scut work. And I'd wanted her in my sight. I_ had _been angry that she had fallen asleep while on guard duty with Tank, but since if she had been upright she might also have gotten shot, I'd gotten over that pretty quickly._

" _Look man, once we get Rangeman up and going there will be officework she can do. She's smart, and she can think on her feet. I'm sure she can be valuable. In the meantime you need to think long and hard about any job you give her. Because you're not just putting her at risk on dangerous assignments, you're putting us at risk too. If you want to spend time with her, which obviously you do, take her out to a nice restaurant, not a damn stakeout."_

 _I wanted to respond with something intelligent and cutting. But as much as I hate to admit it, he makes some decent points. "Fuck you, Tank." was all I could come up with._

" _Love you too man. And when we get back, just ask her to a fucking movie."_

 _I was deep in a jungle. I wasn't even 100% sure what country I was in anymore, I'd been captured and force-marched for miles through the thick undergrowth. We'd changed directions so many times that I'd lost my bearings, and I'd been close to the point where three countries met up. I could be in anyone of them now. I'd been blindfolded, denied sleep, and starved. After days of travel I'd been chained up in a basement, beaten, and asked questions repeatedly about troop movements, anti-corruption efforts, and defoliation plans._

 _There is a reason you are supposed to give your serial number, name, and rank when you are captured. It gives you something to focus on. A mantra. Locks your brain onto one thing and uses that to block out the pain. So through the pain and the sleep deprivation and the beatings I focused on one thing, one memory. That single night I'd had with Stephanie. It had been months, but I still saw her lying there naked on her mattress as if it had been the night before. The combination of desire, anticipation and nervousness in her eyes. We had both wanted this for a long time, and I'd been an ass and bargained for it instead of just asking her out like Tank had told me. I'm not sure I ever even planned on collecting on the debt. But when she reacted to finding a dead man in her apartment by putting the couch out in the hallway because of 'death cooties', I...I don't know. It was both adorable and crazy and showed such resiliency. So I tested the water, and found it welcoming._

 _In my mind I transformed their blows into her caresses. The sleep deprivation was because she had kept me up all night with wanting to go one more time. And the screams weren't mine, but her crying out from orgasm after orgasm I gave to her. And for the days that felt like months, it kept me sane._

 _I was reliving it for the thousandth time when I heard a commotion upstairs. I was so out of it I could barely tell what was real and what was my imagination. I hadn't had a full night's sleep since I had left Trenton, and the world was filled with a haze that blurred everything. Through my mind's fog I saw her. Stephanie was walking into the room, kneeling in front of me. She unscrewed a bottle of water and held it to my lips. "Here you go Ranger. We've got you." Funny. I didn't know she was a baritone._

 _I tried to talk with her, but could barely get anything past my lips. "B...b." was all I managed to get out. Did she understand? Could she read in my voice how she had been all I'd thought of, that she had saved me? And what was she doing here in South America? She was in danger, she had to run. "B…" I tried again._

" _That's right, it's me Bobby. We've got you man. We'll get you out of here. The pizza in this country sucks, need to get you back to Trenton for a decent tomato pie. "_

 _Bobby. Well, that made more sense than Stephanie being here. As much as I wanted to see her, I was glad she wasn't in danger. And I probably could use a medic. It also explained the baritone voice. He dragged me to my feet, and with his and another soldier's help I stumbled out into the harsh daylight, blinking at the unfamiliar glare. There was a helicopter waiting for me, with food and water and medical supplies. But I was so exhausted I simple collapsed on the floor and fell asleep. And then I dreamed that it was Stephanie putting a soothing salve on my wounds, gently pouring water down my parched throat, and wiping down my blood and dirt caked skin._


	33. Chapter 33

Thanks to my psychiatrist for helping me with some of the PTSD info (medical mistakes are mine, I would have felt weird asking her to Beta).

 _Recap: Stephanie and Ranger go to an art installation called Philly Magic Gardens. (Google pictures of it, it's really neat), which Stephanie loves, but it brings back memories of various traumatic events for Ranger._

Ranger

Rationally I knew I was in Philadelphia, not South America or Asia, but I still kept remembering it like I was there. I started shaking a little, hoping I could pass it off as a shiver from the chill. Stephanie knew better though. I tried to shut the memories out, but could feel them pressing on my mind like a vice grip.

I wouldn't let that asshole be able to ruin my life even years after I'd been rescued. " _Rojas, bastardo, te estás pudriendo en la cárcel mientras estoy aquí con una mujer hermosa. Gané, perdiste._ " (Rojas, you bastard, you're rotting in jail while I'm here with a beautiful woman. I won, you lost.)

I felt her lead me to a place to sit, and I closed my eyes, trying to stave off the memory.

Stephanie

The gardens were magical. Well, I suppose the name should have told me that. Nearly every surface of the building and grounds were covered in colorful mosaics. Even the bathrooms were a complete work of art. It was full of whimsy and color and light.

Ranger stood by my side as we looked in the museum, his eyes scanning everywhere as usual. Inside the building he seemed perfectly normal, his arm wrapped around my shoulders, wafting the scent of his Bvlgari shower gel over me. We were just another couple out for an evening together.

Things changed when we went outside to the garden section. At first it was wonderful. We walked together closely to ward off the chill the October night brought. And Ranger seemed happy, which was unusual for him. I mean, he doesn't seem unhappy most of the time, but he's just so serious. But in the past few days I've actually seen him smile, not just when he was looking at me, but in his everyday life. Lester told me that the guys were really enjoying the fact that Ranger wasn't making it to the gym every morning. Some of them were bruise-free for the first time since they'd gotten hired. I told him to make sure that they were still in shape, because I was enjoying keeping him in bed in the morning too much to want him feeling he had to leave to keep his people in shape.

The trouble seemed to start when we walked down a staircase and through a short hallway. Ranger had to duck to get through it, and I walked behind him in the narrow space. Suddenly he froze, and he ducked down even lower. His body twitched oddly. A second later he was fine, and I didn't think anymore of it. We studies the walls of an open space that sparkled in the floodlights. The walls were topped with colored glass bottles and bicycle wheels, like a fairy's junkyard. I held Ranger to me as I marveled at the spectacle. After a few minutes we went back into the labyrinth, through a room so small I couldn't spread my arms out fully. Again Ranger tensed up. Normally he moves like a cat, ready to pounce at half a moment's notice, but now every muscle was coiled like a jack in the box that had been held closed. I'd never seen him like that. Even when he was in mortal danger he had looked more relaxed.

"Ranger?" I asked tentatively. His head was faced in my direction, but his eyes were distant. Then he blinked. "Sorry Tank, you're right. But I don't deserve her."

That was worrisome. I was about 12 inches shorter than Tank, 12 shades lighter, and had 12 inches more hair. The only way we resembled each other was that we were both bipedal carbon-based lifeforms. Ranger must have been really out of it. I looked for a place to sit down that wasn't covered in tile, and found a small alcove with some stones that I think were meant to act as stools. He was shaking a little, coherent but definitely weird. He was mumbling under his breath, but is was in Spanish, and all I caught was the name Rojas.

I faced him towards a wall so other people wouldn't see him. I knew he'd hate being visible while he wasn't in control of himself. Beyond that I wasn't sure what to do. I put my hand on his shoulder so it would look like we were just a couple desiring some privacy, but he tensed up again. I didn't know what to do. I pulled out my phone and made a call, trying to keep my voice down.

"Hey, Bomber. How is the City of Brotherly Love treating you?"

Bobby's voice was warm and comforting. I started to feel better immediately. "I'm not sure, Bobby. Ranger and I were on our date and suddenly he started acting strange. Now he's shaking and muttering to himself in Spanish."

"Shit. What's he saying.?"

"I have no idea!" I whispered, more angrily than I meant to. "The only words I know in Spanish are all about food! So far, no mention of enchiladas or tacos, so I'm out of luck."

"Is he armed?"

"He's Ranger, what do you think?"

"Is he aware of his surroundings? Does he know who you are?"

"I think so. He let me lead him, and I imagine he's picky about who he allows to do that."

"OK, we need to make sure we don't startle him. It sounds like he's having a PTSD attack. Not surprising after all the missions he's been on. Hold the phone close to him so I can hear what he's saying."

Bobby

The human mind is only capable of handling so much. No matter how much training we have, no matter how strong we think we are, at a certain point it simple says "No More" and lashes back out. Normally we would have decompression after missions, but for the past couple of years Ranger had been cutting his sessions short, getting back to Trenton as soon as the army would allow him too. He claimed it was because he had a business to run. We all knew the truth. He wanted to get back to her. Stephanie calmed him down more than anything else could, but while watching her sleep might make him feel right with the world, it seems skipping the counseling sessions was finally catching up with him.

If I had been in Trenton I would have told Bomber that I would come down. But I was spending the weekend in Boston, and it would take hours to get back. Ranger being armed and in a public place made the situation extra delicate. As long as he was still aware, he would probably be OK. If he went fully into it the flashback would be far more dangerous. If he felt threatened and pulled his weapon, it could end his career. Or even get someone killed, Bomber more likely than anyone since she would be standing closest to him.

As Bomber moved the phone closer to Ranger I tried to make out what he was saying. My Spanish wasn't nearly as good as his, but I worked out most of it. _No te diré nada, Rojas. Tengo que mantenerla a salvo. Volveré contigo, nena. Volveré a ti y te pondré al día y te diré cómo me siento. Qué importante fue esa noche para mí. Es todo lo que me mantiene sano._ (I won't tell you anything, Rojas. I've got to keep her safe. I'll come back to you, Babe. I'll come back to you and I'll man up and tell you how I feel. How important that night was for me. It's all that's kept me sane.)

The name Rojas told me all I needed to know. He was reliving the time he was captured and tortured for 4 days before we found him. Something had triggered that memory. I'd never known Ranger to have a flashback before, though it was always a risk for people in our profession. There was always a price for doing the things we had done.

"Bomber, I can't reveal to you details about the situation he was in that he's reliving, but I do know that thinking of you gave him a lot of comfort. The best I can suggest is to talk softly, don't startle him, but let him know that you are there, that he's safe, and that he's experiencing a memory. Whatever he's remembering is in the past, it's not happening now. Don't touch him, if he feels threatened he may pull his weapon."

Stephanie

I stepped tentatively towards Ranger and started talking softly, holding the phone so Bobby could hear.

"Ranger, Ranger, it's me, Babe. You're safe, we're in Philadelphia, you're with me. I know you're remembering something horrible, but it's in the past. Right here, right now, you and I are together. We're together and you're safe. What you're remembering is in the past. It was horrible, but it's over. You're safe here with me."

I was rambling and I knew it, saying the same thing over and over again. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking, but I think I saw his shoulders relax a little. I moved to kneel in front of him, repeating myself over and over, searching for the light in his eyes.


	34. Chapter 34

_Recap: Stephanie calls Bobby to get advice on how to deal with Ranger's flashback, which is of him being tortured in South America._

Stephanie

I kept speaking softly to Ranger, hoping against hope that I could bring him back to me. This was so new. He had always been the one to rescue me, protect me. I know that I provide some nebulous feeling of comfort to him, but that always seemed so abstract. How could I compare the peace he got from watching me sleep to him literally jumping off a bridge to save me? But now it was my turn to save him.

I knelt in front of him, trying to hold his gaze. I had my own memory of being in almost the same position only an hour before, under very different circumstances. But while I wouldn't have minded reliving that little episode over and over, it was obvious what Ranger was going through something truly horrific.

"Ranger, please come back to me. Please. I know it was awful, but it's over now. It's a memory, it's not happening anymore. You're here with me. I'm your Babe, I've always been your Babe. Please come back to me Ranger."

His eyes flickered to me. I saw recognition there, but his breathing was faster than I'd ever seen it, even when we were running. No, I'd seen it that fast once before, when I had fallen out of that cabinet into his arms and he'd thought I was dead. His heart rate was so high I could almost see his pulse in his neck.

I couldn't imagine what he was going through. He never told me about what happened when he was in the wind, but I knew it was dangerous. I knew he sometimes watched me sleep when he got back, that somehow doing that made him feel better.

"Ranger, please come back to me. I know you're scared, but please come back. I need you here, your Babe needs you. I always have."

Suddenly his breathing slowed, his eyes became more focused, and he sagged his shoulders. He reached out and held my hand as gently as if it were a soap bubble. "Babe?"

I heaved a sigh of relief. "Are you Ok? How are you feeling?"

He shook his head. "I think we should go back to the condo."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He looked at me. I should have known, of course he didn't want to talk about it. Ranger was not one for sharing his feelings. Well, aside from lust. He liked sharing that one.

"Right. Stupid question. But how about I drive back?"

It was a sign of how shaken he was that he didn't object in the slightest.

Ranger

"Brown"

"Ranger, are you OK? Where's Bomber?"

"She's in the shower. I think she needed a little time someplace where I couldn't see her. She's understandably freaked out."

"She did well. I could hear her. For someone with no medical training, she did everything she should have done."

"I know. She usually does, unless it's about her eating."

"So, what do you think triggered this? I've known you a long time, and never known it to happen before. If we can't figure out the cause, you know you can't be on duty with a weapon, let alone near POTUS."

"I gave it a lot of thought in the car. I can think of two things. First, I had hummus for dinner."

"You've hated hummus ever since…..why in the world did you eat it?"

When Bobby had rescued me, I had been in such bad shape I had trouble opening my jaw. It had been swollen shut from all my injuries. So I had several days where I ate nothing solid. Hummus seemed perfect, healthy food that could be sucked through a large straw. There's not a lot of proteins you can do that with, unless you want to survive on Ensure.

Unfortunately, eating the same food for days when you're miserable can create some powerful associations. I'd disliked it ever since, it brought back memories. But it was on the menu at dinner, and I'd remembered my conversation with Steph about foods I could eat off her body. It had seemed worth it to give it another try, and I'd been right that eating it off each other _had_ been unbelievably erotic.

"I had my reasons. Though I won't do it again."

"Anything else? Certainly you've had stronger triggers than that without having a flashback."

I stayed silent. There were a few things that had changed since Babe had started sharing my bed.

"Ranger, I know that silence. What aren't you telling me?"

I checked the bathroom. The shower was still running, so she shouldn't be able to hear me. I walked to the far side of the small condo to make sure she didn't overhear.

"I've been taking medication to suppress dreams. I don't want to have a nightmare and scare her in the middle of the night."

"I thought you said she always made you sleep more peacefully. And aren't you supposed to keep me appraised of all medications, prescription and OTC? I'm sure I remember something in the company handbook about that."

"Fuck you, Brown."

"So, if she makes you sleep more peacefully, why take dream-suppressing drugs?"

Because I was worried that after a while they would come back. I hadn't slept in the same bed as Stephanie for several days in a row very often, and there had always been a time limit. I was on the run, she was is hiding, or those blissful days in Hawaii. But now I was hoping that she would be in my bed every night for the foreseeable future, vastly increasing the risk that she would be there sometime when I had nightmares. I'd heard about soldiers coming back and attacking their partners in their sleep. I hadn't wanted that to happen to me. If I ever hurt Stephanie….

"It was a precaution." I said, reverting to my normal clipped speech.

"Your mind processes a lot in your dreams. If it hasn't had the chance for a few days, it's possible it spilled over in your waking life. It's like a sink filling up slowly with water. You covered up the overflow hole while at the same time increasing the water coming out of the faucet. So it spilled out. All I can tell you to do is avoid triggers, stop taking dream suppressing drugs, and warn Bomber about the nightmares. I'll also refer you to a psychologist who can try a therapy that might help."

I heard the water shut off and Stephanie step out of the shower. I hung up in a way that would cause her to moan about my phone manners, and went to meet her.


	35. Chapter 35 Batman or Bruce?

_Recap: Stephanie brings Ranger around, and they go back to the condo. Ranger reveals to Bobby that he ate a food that might trigger him, and had been taking dream-suppressing medication._

Stephanie

As soon as we entered the condo and Ranger got settled I made a beeline for the shower. I think we both needed a little time alone, at least that was how I justified leaving him to myself. My head was all scrambled up and I needed time to think and straighten it out.

In my own apartment I would have showered until I ran out of hot water. But in a building this size that wouldn't happen until the Second Coming, Ranger deciding to survive on nothing but Tastykakes and cookies, or the Monday morning shower rush. Probably the latter. So I just stood there in the steam, trying to figure out what was going on, and how I felt about it.

After a minute I realized I might cry, and I didn't want Ranger to hear that. I didn't want him to know how scared I was, or feel guilty about what happened to him. I reached a hand out of the shower and stabbed at buttons on my phone until God Smack blared out of the small speaker. Then I sat down on the floor of the tub, opened the small bottle of Bvlgari, and held it to my nose as I wept as quietly as I could.

Ranger

When Stephanie got out of the shower her face was red and a little puffy. It could have been from the hot water, but likely it wasn't. My heart ached for the pain I had caused her. How could I have been with her just a few days and already have made her cry? How could I consider myself better for her than Morelli if this was what I did to her. The towel wrapped around her body did nothing to hide the bruises on her arm, bruises she had sustained protecting one of _my_ men.

"I'm so sorry, Babe."

She came to me and wrapped her arms around my torso, her wet hair leaving a large damp spot on my shirt. "Sorry for what? You couldn't help what happened."

"I should have been stronger. I shouldn't have let you you down like that."

"You didn't let me down." She looked up at me with those bottomless blue eyes, and held a hand gently to my cheek, like I was made of spun glass. "You're the only person in my life who has never let me down."

She slipped her hand into mine and led me to the couch overlooking the cars speeding by underneath. We sat there for a few minutes, watching the never ending stream of lights. I couldn't help remembering that only 6 hours earlier we had been bent over this same couch, and it seemed like life couldn't get any better. Now it was all turning to shit. I turned my head to breath in her scent. She didn't smell of strawberries like she usually did after a shower. She didn't really smell like anything. I gently ran my fingers through her curls, careful not to tug. Finally I broke the silence.

"Should I go first, or you?"

"Either. Which would work better for you?"

I took a deep breath. "You know I can't tell you much about my work. But I'm sure you've guessed most of it by now. The generalities if not the specifics. The truth is I've done terrible things, things that haunt me."

I stared out the window, unable to look at her, terrified that I might look at her face and see horror, disgust, all the emotions she should rightly feel for a monster like me.

"For years I've suffered from nightmares. Sometimes every night, sometimes once a month. But I can wake up from them and not know where I am. I've known men, men I served with, who woke up realizing they were attacking their partners. The nights I've spent with you, or even just when I see you for a few minutes, are the ones where I sleep best. But I didn't want to take the chance, so I've been taking anti-anxiety drugs before going to sleep. They suppress REM cycles, because I couldn't bear the thought that I might hurt you.

"But it seems the dreams are like an emergency pressure valve, and I closed it. So it came out while I was awake. The Gardens reminded me of some of the places I'd been, and I once ate only hummus for days while recovering from a botched operation. Disliked it ever since, too many memories. Put it all together and you have...whatever that was today. Flashback, panic attack, whatever you want to call it. I'm so sorry, Babe. I'm sorry I put you through that, and I'm sorry I'm so broken."

Stephanie

I had tried to figure out what to say to Ranger while I was on the floor of the shower, the water pounding onto my back reminding me of the sound of rain on the roof during a summer storm. I'm not sure how long I cried for, or even exactly what I was crying about. Was it fear for what could have happened if Ranger had snapped and pulled a gun? No, I hadn't ever really considered that might happen, even though Bobby warned me about it. Was it fear for him? Sympathy for what he must be going through? Partially. Certainly those feelings existed.

But I was afraid there was another reason. Ranger had always been bigger than life, unshakable, so in control. He'd been my mentor, my friend, my rock, my Batman. But sometimes Batman is just Bruce Wayne. He was a man, not a superhero. Being in a relationship with him meant I had to accept that. With everything else, I was weeping for the loss of an image of Ranger as a perfect being, capable of anything.

The truth was, he needed me, he needed me to be strong, to support him a tenth as much as he had supported me from the moment I met him. And I would do it. Because he had always _always_ been there for me. Because I…..I

I turned off the water and wrapped myself in a towel, turned off the music, and stepped outside the bathroom. We sat on the couch and he told me his secrets. That he was scared he would hurt me in his sleep, so he took medicine to stop all his dreams. That the side effects meant the horrors of his past came out in his waking hours instead of his sleeping ones. He told me that his most restful night were when he had seen me, even if we weren't sleeping in the same bed.

And then he apologized for being broken. And hearing him do that broke my heart. I sat up straight and looked at him, he nervously avoided my gaze. "Ranger, you are not broken. You are the best man I know." I gulped. It was time to say it. "That's why I L…."


	36. Chapter 36 The Cliffhanger

_Wow, I've never gotten so many people mad at me for a cliffhanger before! Here's an update before I end up with a bunch of readers at my door with pitchforks. Short chapter, so I could get it out quickly._

 _Recap: Stephanie works out her feelings in the shower. Ranger tells him why he had a flashback. Stephanie starts to say the L word._

Ranger

Every second while she tried to say it seemed like an hour. I'd known I loved her for years, though it took sleeping with her to get me to admit it, even to myself. I wasn't looking at her, as much as I wanted to. I'd waited a long time to hear this, I didn't want her to lose her nerve.

I'm lying to myself. I don't want to say I'm broken and see agreement in her eyes. That would just fuck me up even more.

I need her to say it, more than I want to admit.

Stephanie

This shouldn't be that hard. Why could I not get the damn words out? I mean, I say I love all kinds of things. My family, my friends, Ella's cooking, Boston Cream donuts, and Ranger's sheets just to name a few. How could I say I loved his sheets but not that I loved him?

And as that realization hit me I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in it. "You're so much more important than sheets. Yes, I love you. I'd love you even if you had crappy sheets." And then I kissed him, tears streaming down my face.

Ranger

No idea how my sheets entered the conversation, but I didn't really care. She had said she loved me, and her tongue was exploring my mouth. I pulled her into my lap so she was straddling me, our lips never parting. I tangled my hands in her wet curls and held her close to me, until I felt her tears dampen my own cheeks. I pulled back a few inches and wiped them away with my thumb.

"What's wrong, Babe?"

"I love you, and I know you love me, in your own way…"

I rested my thumb gently over her lips. Her beautiful, pouty lips, slightly swollen from kissing me.

"I love you in every way. I'm just an idiot. I thought staying away from you would keep you safe, but I couldn't do it. I've loved you for so long, and it's always been with my whole heart, even if my life isn't conducive to relationships."

She looked into my eyes, trying to read the truth in them. "Really? You've always added a qualifier whenever you said you loved me."

"My life is complicated, though I've been trying to simplify it. But do you really think I'd walk into a room knowing I'd likely be shot, or jump off a bridge, or deal with your crazy Granny if I didn't love you more than my own life?"

"Yes. You're a hero, you're Batman. You save people all the time. And Julie was in that room too."

"True. I've risked my life for a lot of people, but you're the only one I would ever put up with your Grandma for."

She laughed softly, and kissed me again. I stood up, her legs wrapping around my hips as my arms held her close to me. I carried her over to the bed, her lips pressed to mine until I lay her gently on the sheets. One quick tug and her towel was gone, and I moved my lips to touch every inch of her. I brushed her skin gently with my knuckles, my fingertips were too rough and calloused for the sensations I wanted to give her.

She started to moan and arch her neck, and I suckled at the soft pink peaks at her breasts. I started to undo my shirt, glad I was wearing a button-down so I didn't have to pull a shirt over my head. Then I kicked off my pants, not even bothering with my socks. I just wanted to touch her, to reassure her, to show her with my body how precious she was to me, because I wasn't good enough with words to ever tell her.


	37. Chapter 37 Dreams

_Recap Stephanie admits she loves Ranger, and he says he loves her too._

 _Note: Not everything in this chapter is consistent with the books or this story. That's because dreams tend to reflect fears or hopes more than reality._

Ranger

I lay in bed, my naked form wrapped around Stephanie's. She had fallen asleep a few moments ago, her breathing slipping to a familiar and soothing rhythm. Her wild curls were tickling my nose as I nuzzled the back of her head, and I pondered going to sleep. I was scared. Scared I might dream, might scare her, or God forbid, might hurt her. I knew that after almost a week suppressing my nightmares, I would be very likely to have them tonight. Bobby was right, my brain needed to process all that had happened to me. Pushing it off would only make it worse. I stopped fighting sleep and let it overtake me.

 _I was in the jungle, staring down a jaguar. It circled me as I slowly swung my arm to follow it, keeping the gun trained right between its eyes._

 _I was driving at nearly twice the speed limit to the remote cabin where I thought she was being held by Stiva. I could see it in the distance, but as I pushed harder on the gas it seemed to get further away, like it was being pulled backwards by an invisible string._

 _I was running through a village, most of the huts ablaze. I heard a cry to my left and saw a small girl trapped under a fallen beam from her house. She looked to be about 6. Julie's age. I ran to her and tried to pry off the beam, her screams filling the night._

 _I was at Kinsey's wedding. His bride was walking down the aisle, then joined him on the dias. They spoke their vows, and the priest declared them Husband and Wife. I was so happy for him, happy he had found someone who gave him peace. He lifted the veil, and it was Stephanie standing there in the dress. She looked at me and said "I don't feel well", and retched onto the floor, her face pale and waxy._

 _I was carrying Lester in a fireman's hold over my shoulder, his leg bleeding from the bullet that had just barely missed his femoral artery. I tried to apply pressure to the wound with my hand while running as fast as I could with the added weight._

 _I was sitting in the corner of Stephanie's room, where I went to watch her sleep. She was lying there on the bed, naked, the cop on top of her and pushing himself inside her flesh. She was reaching for me, and I couldn't tell if her cries were from pleasure or pain. I tried to get up, but I was stuck to the chair, mute and immobile, watching him fuck the woman I loved and unable to do anything about it._

 _I was on a street near the projects, undercover to try to take out a big shot in the drug trade that was rumored to be in the area. My phone rang. "Yo." I said, hoping it was something I could deal with quickly._

 _A nasal Jersey voice answered. "Ranger, it's Connie. I have a favor to ask. Got a new BEA, but she needs some training. Can you teach her?"_

" _Don't really have the time now."_

" _You'll like her. She's got big blue eyes. I know you're a sucker for those."_

" _Fine. I'll meet her. But don't expect me to play babysitter for long. I don't need someone I have to look out for every minute."_

 _I was crouched behind a rock with Tank, returning fire that we couldn't pinpoint the source of. It was half an hour before sunset. If we could last that long, we might have a shot in hell of getting out of this hellhole alive. I counted to three and pointed my weapon, firing almost blind into the trees._

 _I was in the back of a bar, pretending to nurse a beer. Stephanie walked in and sat next to a man who had jumped bail on an assault charge. She had him hooked within minutes, and was leading him out of the building to where Tank and Ram were waiting for him. As they were walking, she tripped on something and he caught her going down, managing to grab her crotch while looking like he was keeping her from falling. Her eyes flashed to me, looking scared at first, but telling me to stay where I was until she was clear of the building. She got him outside and I quickly followed. By the time I was out he was on the ground in cuffs._

" _What happened to your hand, Ranger?" Bobby asked. I looked down to see I was bleeding. I must have squeezed my beer glass so hard it shattered. I hadn't even felt it slice through my palm._

 _I was riding my bike around the neighborhood, glad that summer vacation had finally started and I was free. I turned the corner and nearly ran into Jose, the neighborhood bully. He grabbed my handlebars and shook them, forcing me to put my feet on the ground to steady myself. "Well what do we have here? It's Carla. What are you doing on my street Carla?"_

 _I try to remember what Tia Rosa had said, that if I stood up to bullies they would respect me and leave me alone. "My name is Carlos. And I can ride wherever I want. It's a free country"_

 _Jose laughed at me, so I took a swing at him. I was aiming for his face, but he was so much taller than me that I only hit his shoulder. He shoved me down to the sidewalk, flipped me over, and rubbed my face against the concrete. Thankfully the long hair that I was constantly teased about cushioned my cheek, protecting my skin from being scraped too badly._

 _I was standing on the bridge, Stephanie dangling below me from a rope that was coming undone. She had a look of pure terror on her face, and it matched what I felt in my chest. I gave my gun to Tank and kicked off my boots, scrambling over the railing. My heart stopped as the rope came free and she fell, and I dove after her without a second thought. We seemed to hang in the air for an eternity. My hand was stretched out to her, and her eyes looked pleadingly up at me. She fell into the dark water and I tried to mark the spot before I hit myself._

 _It felt like crashing into a cement sidewalk, but I didn't care. I searched in the dark, turgid water for her. The water was blacker than any cave or jungle I had ever been in, and the sound of it roared in my ears. I stretched out my fingers, grasping in what I hoped, prayed, was the right direction. I couldn't tell which was was up or down, and as I swam I crashed into the muddy bottom of the Delaware river. I tried to push off, but the muck held my feet as I pushed off. I was running out of air, and I still hadn't found her. I wanted to scream her name, but couldn't. I felt something brush against my face, and when I pushed it away I realized it was her hair. I grabbed at it, then worked my way down her head, her shoulder, until I could wrap my arm around her waist. I kicked my legs as hard as I could, grateful I wasn't wearing heavy boots, and desperately worked my way to the surface. I let out tiny bubbles of precious air and felt which way they went to make sure I was going in the right direction. I pulled her inert body behind me, losing the use of my left arm to pull her along._

 _I broke the surface and drew in gasp after gasp of frigid air that felt like nectar from the Gods. I pulled her head up above the surface and pulled against her stomach, trying to get her to breath, and to force out any water that might have gotten into her lungs._

"Ranger."

 _Her lips were blue and her face slack as I managed to get her to the edge of the river. "Common Babe. Don't you die on me!"_

"Ranger!"

 _I turned her body to the side, then lay her flat and tilted her head back to perform CPR. I breathed and performed chest compressions, begging her to wake up._

"Carlos!"

The use of my real name finally woke me, and I jerked awake. Stephanie was inches from my face, deep concern showing in her eyes, illuminated by the pale October light creeping into the condo.

"Babe." It was relief, thankfulness, and apology all in one. I tucked a stray curl behind her ear and tried to control my breathing. "I'm sorry. I knew this might happen. Did I hurt you?"

"You don't need to apologize. You just started holding me really tight. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I can't quite remember the details. Times I've been scared, I think. Or times burned into my memory. The scariest ones were when I thought I might lose you."

She kissed me gently, and ran her fingers through my hair. "I love you so much Ranger. You won't lose me."

We both knew she couldn't really make that promise. Neither of us could. Our lives were too dangerous, too unpredictable.

"I love you too, Babe."

She wrapped an arm around me, and run it up and down my back, much like I had a few days ago. A few days, was that really all it had been? In some ways it felt like hours. In others, our entire lives. Her touch soothed me, and I felt myself drifting back to sleep, this time without dreams.


	38. Chapter 38 Easy like Sunday Morning

_So, today is going to suck mightily for me. I could use some love and encouragement.  
Reviews make me feel better._

 _Recap: Ranger has a series of dreams about traumatic times from his life._

Stephanie

I woke sometime around dawn to Ranger squeezing my body with his arm, gripping me tightly enough to be uncomfortable. He seemed to be dreaming, he kept saying "Breathe, Babe, Breathe." I turned over, still wrapped in his arm, and tried to get him to wake up.

"Ranger? Ranger, wake up honey. Please wake up."

His body was tense and he seemed to be sweating. I kept calling his name, but he wasn't answering me. On TV they slap the person, but I didn't think that was a good idea for a few reasons. I'm not a fan of hitting people I love, especially just a few hours after I tell them I love them. I didn't want to traumatize him any further, and he was quite capable of hurting me very badly without even realizing who I was. But it was scaring me that he seemed so tense, even in sleep.

"Ranger, Ranger!" I kept calling his name. Then I reconsidered. Most of his traumatic times would have been in the military, right? Where he was known as Ranger. So maybe that wasn't penetrating his subconscious, because that's what people in the dream would be referring to him as. I went with a different tactic.

"Carlos!"

His eyes flew open and he scanned around him. I saw him relax as he realized where he was. "Babe."

I comforted him and held him until we both fell asleep, just like he had done with me a few days ago. It couldn't really just be a few days, could it?

While I had hoped we'd sleep in after an exhausting day (and not a lot of sleeping the night in King Of Prussia), we were rudely awakened at 7 by Ranger's cell phone ringing. I mumbled at him to let it go to voicemail, but he insisted on being all responsible and answering it. He mostly listened, occasionally dropping an "understood" or "affirmative". My heart sank when I heard the words "0930 hours, got it."

He hung up abruptly and looked at me apologetically.

"I'm assuming that wasn't good news?"

"I'm so sorry Babe, there's been chatter online."

"Chatter?"

"White supremacist groups are targeting the rally, and there has been chatter on some of their message boards about possible actions. I need to meet with the team in a couple hours to go over new security protocols. I'm sorry Babe, I had a great day planned. Selfies in front of the Love statue, a visit to the Franklin Institute to see the dinosaurs and planetarium, a cheesesteak in South Philly, the Italian Market…"

I kissed him to shut him up, something I'd never had to do before. His arms wrapped around my back and I lay on top of him, breathing in his scent and running my hands through his hair. His body relaxed as it I melted onto him, the tension draining away. "I'm sure it was an amazing plan. But this is more important, and you know it. Not just for Rangeman, but the work itself. I'd never forgive myself if something happened, I'd always wonder if we could have made a difference."

He looked deep into my eyes, his brown orbs meeting my blue ones. "You are so amazing. I'm sorry about this."

"It's fine. Where is the meeting?"

"In a room at the Art Museum. If you want you can walk around there while I'm meeting. Or you can take the Porsche and explore the city. I'll call you when I'm done, and we can use whatever time we have left to explore the city." He whispered into my ear "Though I _really_ want to be there to listen when you get a cheesesteak."

I blushed. He always found my moaning over food endearing and sexy, I found it embarrassing. "I'll go to the Museum with you. If the meeting takes a really long time, I'll head out and explore. If not, I'll be just a few floors away and we can get back together sooner."

He kissed me, and made a phone call. "Frank, there's been developments, can you and Silvio be at the Art Museum by 0930 hours?" Then he hung up.

I rolled my eyes. "After waking them up on a Sunday morning, you couldn't even say goodbye?"

"Efficiency babe. I have other plans for every moment until I have to leave."

He wrapped a hand in my hair and pulled my face to his, covering my mouth with his lips. I ran my hands along his chest, feeling the muscles as they flexed with his movements. We hadn't bothered to get dressed after the previous night, so there wasn't any clothing between us, aside from Ranger's socks.

He rolled me onto my back and lowered his mouth to my nipple, nipping at it just enough to be short of pain. I arched my back, and moaned when I felt a finger enter me. It felt amazing, but it wasn't enough. "Ranger, I want you in me."

"Always happy to oblige, Babe." he said, reaching for the box of condoms on the nightstand. I was rubbing my breasts in anticipation when I heard him mutter "Shit!"

"What's wrong?" I gasped, desperate for another orgasm.

"The box is empty."

"Do you have any more in your pants?"

"I'm not sure, let me check." He scrambled off the bed in a most un-Ranger-like fashion, searching his pockets in his dress slacks, cargo pants, wallet, suitcase, even my purse. "Did you get any at the mall?" he asked, eying my suitcase.

"No." I said regretfully, wishing that I'd picked up those flavored condoms I had looked at.

"Dammit. Well, just one thing to do then." He crawled back into the bed and put his face in my pussy, licking away at it with all the intensity I had come to expect from him. I moaned and reached out my hand to grip him, giving him some firm strokes that got him rock-hard again. He groaned into me, the vibrations feeling amazing.

"Lay on your back" I said, scootching aside to give him space. He did, and I climbed on top of him, pushing my legs under his arms and taking his cock in my mouth. He murmured "Dios Babe" and returned to his work, wrapping his arms around my hips to pull himself closer into me. With every nuzzle and suck I returned the favor, stroking him with my hand where my mouth couldn't reach. His hands splayed over my butt cheeks, massaging the muscle and rubbing sensually. I felt a pinky brush against my opening. I'd always refused to do anal with Morelli, it felt degrading, but Ranger never degraded me, and it actually felt pretty good.

"Do it" I managed to get out before shoving himself back into my mouth, and I felt the amazing sensation of him pushing in, very slightly and very slowly. It was incredible, and I nearly came then and there. I let out a passionate cry and sped up my hand, knowing I would finish soon and wanting him to come along with me.

When the orgasm hit me it nearly bowled me over. I had to control myself not to bite down, but my whole lower body shook and trembled. My throat was parched from all the heavy breathing, and when Ranger came I sucked his seed down greedily to sooth it. Then I collapsed on top of him, panting heavily and unable to move as all my muscles went limp.

Ranger

I've been in danger many times in my life. Dozens, possibly hundreds of times. I've often wondered how I would die.

If it could be this way, with Stephanie smothering me as she lay in a post-coital heap, I'm pretty sure I'd go quite gentle into that good night, with no raging against the dying of the light.

But I wasn't ready to go quite yet, so I turned my head slightly and kissed her inner thigh, taking in the scent of her arousal as she lay spent upon me.


	39. Chapter 39 Date, Interupted

_Recap: Stephanie and Ranger have to cancel their Sunday date because of threats coming from white supremacist websites. They run out of condoms and have to improvise._

Stephanie

Once I could walk again we took a shower together, my third in a little more that 12 hours. I was going to end up with insanely dry skin at this rate. But a shower with Ranger is nothing to be missed. He can be very thorough when it comes to cleaning every inch of you. It was odd how this was the place I'd been so upset last night, but now felt so relaxing. Ranger washed me down with his Bvlgari shower gel, and the scent filled my head.

We got dressed, him in a black suit and me in a nice outfit that was casual enough for wandering around a museum, but fancy enough if we were able to go out. I leaned against his chest, enjoying a few more moments being able to touch him.

We decided to walk to the museum, it was essentially across the street and we'd spend as much time parking as we would save by driving. I was surprised when Ranger led me out of the back door of the building instead of the front. "Where are we going?"

"Babe, as amazing as this morning was, I don't want it to happen again." We ducked into a CVS, and he bought a 30 pack of condoms. When we left he handed them to me. "Can you put these in your bag? I'd rather not walk into the meeting with them."

I took the box and stowed it in my messenger bag, brushing my hands across his skin when our fingers touched. There was a spark of electricity, a promise of things to come. "Let's go get you to your meeting to battle White Eyes."

"Babe?"

Hah! I'd stumped him. "Batman villain. Led a racist militia group."

"Babe."

10 minutes later I was huffing up the steps to the museum. There's a reason Rocky used them for exercise. I lost count, but I'm pretty sure there were about 50 billion of them. Halfway up Ranger knelt down in front of me. "Put your arms around my neck, Babe." I did as he asked, wondering what he was up to. I found out a moment later when he grabbed my legs and swept me up into a piggy back ride. I squealed in surprise, then in fear as he bounded up the steps two at a time despite my added weight. I gripped him tightly, but made sure not to block his breathing. The last thing I'd need would be for him to black out while holding me up.

We reached the top in far less time than it would have taken me to get there. I grinned when we arrived. Ranger had planned for us to go to the famous Love statue in Center City, but here was the bilingual version, the word "Amor" in the same square style, the same askew "O".

"Do we have time for a picture?" I asked.

He looked at his watch. "Sure, Babe."

I waved over the nearest person. "Excuse me, could you take a picture of us in front of the statue?"

"Sure," the woman said. "Hand me your phone."

Ranger shifted, unusual for him. "Can you get yours out Babe?"

"Mine's in my bag. You'd have to put me down for me to get it. Isn't yours on your belt?"

He crouched slightly and lowered my legs, letting me slide gently to me feet. I dug in my messenger bag for a minute, while the woman waited, getting slightly impatient. She could see Ranger's phone on his belt as well as I could. Finally I dug through all the stuff I had put in there for the day's outing and handed it over. "Sorry," I said. "Thanks for waiting."

We got a few pictures, some with us standing, and a couple with me back in my piggyback ride position. When the woman handed my phone back to me and left, I looked at him. "What was that about?"

He turned to the entrance of the museum and walked across the large expanse leading to the building. "My phone has sensitive information on it. It's encrypted, but handing it over to a stranger who could have run away with it would be unwise. Yours doesn't have anything classified on it, and would be far easier to replace."

I decided that it would be immature to complain that he was willing to have my phone stolen, but not his. So I followed him up to the entrance, where we met Frank and Silvio. Both were dressed in Rangeman black, and looked slightly blurry eyed from having been awoken and rustled out of bed unexpectedly on a Sunday morning.

"Frank!" a female voice called from the staircase. A Native American woman dressed in the traditional Secret Service suit came down, all smiles. Frank turned to look at her and broke out in a wide grin that actually rivaled Ranger's.

"Mary!" The two smiled and did that awkward dance people do when they aren't sure if they should hug or shake hands. In the end they did that hand-gripping pat on the back hybrid thing. It was obvious they had been friends when they worked together, before Frank had joined Rangeman.

"Ranger, Stephanie, this is Agent Mankiller. We've known each other since we started."

I tried, I really did. I tried not to laugh. But a giggle forced its way out of my lips. Ranger, Frank, and Mary all looked at me. I tried to stop, but any attempt at muffling myself just put me back into the giggle-loop.

"Is there a joke you want to share with the rest of the class Steph?" Ranger asked. His blank face was in place, but he must be annoyed if he was calling me Steph instead of Babe.

I managed to pull myself together. I said "Agent Mary Mankiller." She looked a little affronted.

"It's a title of honor given to those who protect the Tribe."

I tried to explain myself, this time looking at Ranger. "Mary Mankiller. Merry Man Killer. Killer of a Merry Man?"

Ranger rolled his eyes. I'm rubbing off on him. "She calls my employees the Merry Men. Apparently she thinks your name is an amusing coincidence."

The agent looked stoic for a moment.

"Com'on Mary, it _is_ pretty funny." Frank said.

She looked at me. "You really call his people Merry Men?"

I nodded, unable to read her expression. I'm assuming all government jobs come with training on wiping away all emotions from your face.

"Does that make him Robin Hood?" She asked, looking at Ranger.

A mental image of him prancing around in tights and with a bow and arrow nearly caused me to start giggling again. "Nope, he's Batman. Fits his wardrobe better. But Batman doesn't have a big group of people with a cute collective name. And Tank reminds me a lot more of John Little than Robin."

I thought I saw Ranger's lip twitch a bit at that. I wonder what it would take for me to get him into those tights. I probably didn't want to ask. It would probably be butt stuff.

Ranger

I was worried for a moment that Steph might have given off a really bad first impression with Agent Mankiller. But I should have known she'd salvaged it. At least there didn't seem to be any hurt feelings. I wasn't sure how she would be viewed professionally, but I didn't think she'd endangered the contract. That made me more glad than I wanted to admit. For a moment there I wasn't sure she'd be able to pull it off. I should have had more faith in her.

We followed Agent Mankiller to a small conference room. Steph squeezed my hand and turned to leave.

"Where are you going, Ms. Plum?" Agent Mankiller asked.

She blinked at her. "I was going to go explore the museum until Ranger was done."

"Your temporary clearance was approved. You can be involved for anything labeled Confidential or Secret. If we go beyond that, I'll ask you to step outside the room until we finish that discussion."

"When did the clearance go through?" I asked, surprised I hadn't been notified. I'd had Stephanie fill out various forms over the years to get her clearances, hoping that I could use her for some government research work and get her some money that wouldn't put her at risk of wrestling vaseline-covered men, rolling in garbage, or getting shot. The first two were common occurrences. The latter had happened far too many times for comfort. Because much of the background check work had already been completed, we had applied for a 3 week raising of her level to Secret so she could be more involved in planning.

"You were sent an email last night. Didn't you get it?"

Shit. I hadn't checked my email after the emotional roller coaster of last night.

"He ate something that disagreed with him last night, and I'm afraid dealing with that took up most of the night." Stephanie said tactfully. Which was true, though she made it sound far more like I'd had food poisoning than flashbacks. I'd have to decide what to tell the Secret Service before long, but it could wait a bit more.

She nodded, accepting the answer. "If all of you would take a seat, I'd like to show you what came up last night." She moved into the room where 4 other agents were already seated, and we all took our chairs. Stephanie was to my right, looking a little shocked she was in the room. I gave her a quick comforting pat on the leg under the table, then turned my attention to the presentation, trying like hell to not get distracted by having her scent so close to me.

 _Thanks to Captain Jon for his help with figuring out the security clearances._

 _Agent Mary is a cameo of trhodes9. She picked the name and gave me the history of it._


	40. Chapter 40

_This chapter was really hard for me to write. Normally I write everything in one 2-3 hour sitting. I've been working on this one for days. Some of it was trying to figure out how much of the "chatter" I should write. Getting into white supremacist heads isn't fun. It's why I ended up going with a basic sketch and few actual excerpts. Much of what I know about this is from having to clean out a database of racist trolls recently. Plenty of usernames or email addresses advocating genocide of groups of people they don't like. Everything became much worse because this weekend, an activist was attacked and thrown down the stairs while infiltrating a meeting of closet white supremacists. It was scary as hell._

 _Recap: Stephanie gets clearance to attend the meeting, but things get tense when she can't stop giggling at the FBI agent's name._

I'd say I'm not going to bore you with details about what was in the posts, but that would be misleading. The truth is, I'm not going to horrify you with it, and I don't want to think about it myself anymore than I had to. I mean, I grew up in a neighborhood straight out of the fifties. Casual racism was all over. My mom was convinced that if you weren't Italian you just weren't quite up to snuff, and my Dad's occasional referring to Ranger or his men by their race was cringe-inducing. I'd put up with it my whole life, and figured those attitudes would die along with their generation.

This was something else. This was... _ugly_. In some ways the usernames were the biggest shock. People named themselves with racial slurs, praising of Hitler, even calls for genocide. This was how they decided they wanted others to identify them. I mean, I don't like squirrels, but I'd never pick a username like GasTheSquirells, or KillAllFluff-Tails.

I noticed that a lot of the usernames ended with either 14, 88, or both. It struck me as odd. People usually pick a number that means a lot to them, like a birth year, or a random number that is just the next sequential availible number for their prefered username. On dating sites, lots of clueless guys pick 69, assuming they are the cleverest person ever.

"Why all the 14s and 88s?" I worked up the courage to ask. "I'm guessing this group isn't made up primarily of 28-year-olds. The grammar and poor spelling tells me teens and early twenties."

Mary nodded at me. "The 14 is the number of words in one of their mantras about securing the future for themselves as white people. They use it as code. The 88 is because H is the eighth letter of the alphabet. It's short for Heil Hitler. Like any gang, they like having their own lingo, a secret language they can use around other people and not be understood. Some of it we know well, but they come up with new codes and jargon pretty quickly. And you're right, mostly they are under 25, poorly educated, and angry at the world."

I nodded, feeling a little sick to my stomach. Mary skipped over threads that were mostly just complaining about groups they didn't like. "Thug" was about the nicest term they used, but it was obvious they were using it in place of the N-word. The rest of the language was worse, including racial slurs I don't think anyone had been using for 50 years. She concentrated on the threads that talked about the upcoming rally. Some of it was complaining in general, but some talked about "things needing to be done" and "taking action". Those were the ones that obviously worried the agents the most. They kept re-reading them and trying to pick apart anything that might give details.

After 3 hours my stomach rumbled audibly, embarrassing me as it had come in a lull in the conversation. Ranger came to the rescue though. "Seems it's a good time to take a lunch break. Should we meet back here at 1300 hours?"

Everyone else agreed, and Ranger and I joined Agent Mankiller and Frank for lunch at the Cafeteria. It seems those two had been pretty good friends when he worked for the Secret Service, going back years.

While they were talking, Agent Mankiller always kept an eye on her laptop, her eyes moving back and forth like a cartoon typewriter. Ranger and I grabbed lunch (he skipped the hummus) and sat down with them. Agent Mankiller asked me to call her Mary, possibly because she was tired of the giggling, and we talked some more about her work. Frank and Ranger chatted as much as they normally did. Namely, about as much as two strangers who didn't speak a common language and have their jaws wired shut do when in a library under a "No Talking" sign.

It's a wonder I ever get any information out of him at all.

Mary showed me what she was working on. In addition to the monitoring of the main forums and chat rooms, she had also hacked into the private messages, and was scanning them. Suddenly her body went still and she stopped talking, leaning into the screen.

"What is it?" I asked, looking at the screen myself.

"Two of them who seem to be the ringleaders are working on arranging a meeting right now. If we can catch them there, we may be able to stop this before it starts."

All four of us stared at the screen as the lines formed.

 _WhiteMakesRight88: we need 2 talk bout this in person, nvr no whos listnin_

 _Pepe14: im game. where/whan?_

 _WhiteMakesRight88: 2day. 1488. Hitler & Jew._

 _Pepe14: Ill be waring a green scarf._

 _WhiteMakesRight88: Red sweater. CU then._

For a moment we all waited, but it seemed the conversation was over. I glanced at Mary. She seemed to be thinking, then she pulled up a map of Philadelphia.

"So we have a time and a place, but in code. We figure out where this is, and we can bring them in."

"Philadelphia streets are numbered, 1st street is near the river, and the numbers increase as you go west." Ranger explained to Mary. "Hitler & Jew sounds like an intersection. You said they like the numbers 14 and 88?"

"Yes, though 14 doesn't have anything specific to do with Hitler. Do the street numbers go up to 88?" Mary asked.

"No. 69th street is the edge of the city. What about other numbers they associate with him?"

"8 and 18, for the A and H in his initials. And 4/20 for his birthday."

"That gives us four numbered streets to cover, and we don't know the cross street yet."

Ranger and Mary were tossing ideas back and forth, but a thought came to me as I stared at the map.

"Mary, can I see that for a moment?" I asked, wanting to check something. She nodded and scooted it over to me. I looked at the screen, zooming in to see the businesses that would confirm my suspicion.

"8th and Sansom." I said, with as much confidence as I could muster. Everyone looked at me, and I started feeling self-conscious.

"This section of Sansom is known as Jewelers Row. _Jew_ -elers. And one of the stereotypes about Jewish people..."

"Is that they are involved in the jewelry business." Mary jumped in to finish my sentence. "Stephanie, that's brilliant! It would have taken us forever to figure that out."

"I think you have about two and a half hours." I continued, feeling more confident. "If 1488 is the time, it makes sense it would be 88 minutes after 1400 hours, which would be 1528. About 3:30 PM for those of us who use normal time." Seems like putting up with Ranger using military time for everything was paying off. I'd gotten used to doing a lot of converting and subtracting, and did it automatically whenever I saw a 4 digit number now.

"We need to get back to the others, and plan stakeouts to catch these guys." Mary said as she scooped up her computer and untouched lunch.

As we rushed back to the conference room, Ranger pulled me back and whispered in my ear, "I don't say this nearly enough. Proud of you Babe."


	41. Chapter 41

_Recap: Stephanie figures out a vital clue about where two of the white supremacist leaders will be meeting._

Ranger

An hour later we were setting up a sting. Stephanie and I would play a couple window shopping for jewelry. Frank and Mary would do the same. That would allow us to wander around the streets without looking suspicious. We could keep an eye out while looking at reflections in the glass, and point to things to give us an excuse to give us an excuse to turn our heads. I would also take advantage of the opportunity to try to learn her taste in jewelry. Stephanie didn't come from money, and her nicest pieces were heirlooms. They reflected her mother or grandmother's choices, not hers. That meant I couldn't just peek in her jewelry box to discover what she liked. I wasn't exactly planning on ring shopping this weekend, but I had every expectation of drowning her in as many expensive gifts as she would let me give her.

I was glad I had brought a set of non-black clothes. We wanted to stand out as little as possible, and I'd look conspicuous in all black on such a nice day. Steph had also changed, putting on shoes she could run in if necessary. We were testing our hidden mics before getting in position, and I took her hand in mine and brought it to my lips.

"Shit." she said, unexpectedly. I was surprised, generally my kisses got a better reaction.

"What's wrong Babe?" I asked, hoping everything was OK. She was staring at our clasped hands.

"Ranger, I'm sorry, but I just realized. We don't want to catch their attention. These are white supremacists, and we're an interracial couple. Frank and Mary appear to be the same."

It pained me to think of it, but she was right. Having these assholes notice us and glare would attract way more attention from them than we wanted. I had not given that much thought to what the ramifications of us being interacial would mean for us as a couple. I didn't care, and neither did my family. They would be thrilled at the idea of me finally being with someone, anyone. At this point I'm not certain they would have cared if I were dating a non-carbon based lifeform, as long as I wasn't alone. But her family and community were different. Would that matter to her? I had no doubt that she loved me, no matter my skin tone, but how much grief would she get from her family?

"OK Babe. I'll pair up with Mary, you with Frank. I doubt these guys can tell the difference between Latino and Native American. It's mostly the same gene pool after all." Steph looked uncomfortable, but she had made a good observation. "Thanks for pointing that out, Babe. We need every advantage we can get." She looked a little happier, but still a little uneasy.

I sent a text to Frank's phone when I stepped away to look over Silvio's work on the monitors. . 'If you see anything Steph seems to like, remember the item and store.' When I got back, he gave me a quick look that told me he got the message and understood. We did one final sound check on our equipment and we set out to watch the streets.

Frank

When I joined Rangeman, I was warned that the biggest priority was keeping Stephanie Plum safe. I'd asked if she was the boss's wife, and was treated to some knowing glances between my colleges. "Nah, man." Brown said. "They've got their heads too far up their asses to actually be doing anything like dating, let alone getting married."

Santos gave him a noogie, then laughed. "Those two love each other, but won't admit it. But Brown is right. If it's a choice between protecting a client and protecting Stephanie, you protect her. There isn't a man here who wouldn't take a bullet for her. Partly because she actually is really nice, a lot of fun, and as hot as fire-walking in August, but also because getting shot is a lot less scary than what Ranger will do to you if she gets hurt."

I had been nervous around her for a short time after that. I was used to the idea of throwing myself in front of a bullet to protect someone, but it seemed odd to have a bodyguard for a woman you weren't even dating. But Santos was right, she was kind and smart, and seemed to have an ability to put clues together in a way that other people didn't. Plus, her knowledge of the Burg was helpful in some cases, much like her local knowledge of Philadelphia was helpful today. This was the first time I'd worked with her directly, and she seemed chatty.

"So, what was it like guarding the President?" she asked as we walked along the street, pausing occasionally to look at a reflection in the glass.

"Well, you should know I didn't do it too often. I helped with POTUS duty some of the time, but mostly I worked threat analysis and protection for the girls if they went somewhere other than school or home. I protected him occasionally, though. He was always kind and respectful. He likes to joke around, and I've never seen a couple more in love."

"So what kind of things did you do on days you weren't guarding someone?"

"Checking out online threats, seeing if they were people who were actually dangerous. Occasionally putting in relief protectorate duty for other government officials who get Secret Service protection. I did a bit of all kinds of stuff."

"Why did you leave?"

"My wife died about 3 years ago." Her face instantly changed into an expression of sympathy, but I pushed ahead. I was at the point where I could mention it, but I couldn't go in depth without a stab of pain in my heart and a pricking of tears at my eyes. "That left me with 4 kids to take care of. My mom was a real help, but she's been ill lately as well. The sequester means my pay got cut, and loss of staff means my schedule was more unpredictable as I had to fill in for others more. Without Mom's help it was just becoming too difficult. Rangeman pays a lot more, is both more predictable and more flexible, and Trenton isn't half as expensive to live in as DC."

As we talked I watched Stephanie's eyes, seeing if she looked at any one piece for longer than the others. Ranger had come into my life right when I needed him, if it weren't for him I didn't know where I would be, so I was glad to do this favor for him. But she wasn't looking at the jewelry, her eyes were high and searching. She was watching the street for the people we were trying to catch. We didn't expect them for more than an hour, but we were out early just in case.

As we moved from one window display to the next I caught sight of Ranger and Mary across the street. He had his arm around her, looking for all the world like they were a couple shopping for rings. I felt a stab of jealousy in my stomach. It was silly. Mary and I used to work together a lot, and she had been really helpful when I was mourning my wife. I'd always liked her, but I had no right to be jealous. Especially when she was with my boss, on a job, and I knew it was fake. But still, it pained me to see her laughing and cuddling another man when it had been so close to _me_ doing that with her.

Ranger caught my eye, and we communicated in that way all of us "Merry Men" could. His look told me I should do the same cuddly action with Stephanie, and had I seen anything she liked?

OK, he sent me a text telling me that. I hadn't quite gotten down the silent communication thing with Ranger yet. At least, not from across a street.

I decided to use the oldest trick in the book about finding out what a woman liked. I pretended I was asking for someone else.

"So, Stephanie, I was thinking of getting Mary something. But I'm totally hopeless at this kind of thing. What's nice?"

That got her to open up. She pointed out a few pieces, saying what she liked about them. We wandered from window to window, me trying to find a theme in the things she prefered. Unfortunately, I didn't know enough about jewelry to pick out much of a patten.

Then I saw it, the perfect gift for Mary. An owl pendent necklace. She had a thing for owls, they had a special place in Cherokee culture. But what made this perfect for her was that it wasn't just a necklace. The pendant was actually a USB memory stick. Really, what better present for a Native American computer expert? I looked at my watch. We didn't expect our little Nazis for half an hour, and if we had misinterpreted the time, they likely would have been here half an hour before.

"Steph, I'm going to duck in here and use the restroom. I'll be right back out." I fibbed. I didn't want to tell her the real reason, because I wanted her to keep talking to me about what she liked. But everybody has to pee sometimes. I went into the store, and asked to be pointed to the restroom. I rushed in, did my business, then came out and asked the salesperson to get one of the pendants and box it up as quickly as possible. She did, and I handed over my credit card, keeping a nervous eye out the window, looking for my quarry. Stephanie had spotted me and was giving me a quizzical look, but switched her focus and I could tell she was looking at reflections again, scanning the street for people wearing a red sweater or a green scarf.

She didn't say anything about my detour and we kept walking; pointing, chatting, and pretending to be a couple out for an afternoon stroll in the Autumn air. After almost half an hour she suddenly stiffened under my arm, though I doubt her appearance changed much. She tucked a curl behind her ear, subtly turning on her mic.

"They're here."


	42. Chapter 42

_Recap: Frank and Stephanie keep a lookout, with Frank trying to find out her jewelry preferences. He buys a necklace for Mary._

Stephanie

I saw the one with the scarf first. It was too nice out to be wearing a scarf, but this guy had one wrapped tightly around his neck. He was also wearing a pin with a cartoon frog on it, which I'd learned was a mascot for parts of the white supremacist movement. It seemed a shame to do that to a cartoon frog. It gave _all_ imaginary frogs a bad name. What if Kermit got caught up in it? I couldn't imagine Kermit as a racist. He knew what it was like to have a different skin color, and how it wasn't easy.

Skin color. I'd hated to point out that Ranger and I would stick out to these assholes, but when I'd seen my hand in his as he kissed it, I realized what a strong contrast we made. My light olive-toned skin contrasted with his mocha-latte coloring. At least he seemed to understand and agree. It was something we would eventually have to deal with, especially once we told my parents. But not now. Now we had some Nazis to catch.

I turned to talk to Frank, but my attention was on scarf boy. Across the street I could see someone in a red sweater, and Ranger and Mary were working their way over to him. I concentrated on frog-guy. Frank and I stopped in his path and carefully arranged ourselves so we would be on either side of him when he passed. As each team approached their target, Ranger gave a quick nod, and we pounced.

Frank grabbed the guy by his wrists, twisting his arms behind his back. From the corner of my eye I could see sweater-guy already on the ground with Ranger's knee in his back. I was trying to grab scarf guy by the collar, but he twisted and slammed against me, plowing my left side into a pole, my already injured arm taking the brunt of the blow, but my head also banged against the metal.

White-hot pain seared down my side, and I fell to one knee, gasping for air in an attempt to control myself. I felt nauseous and fought to hold back the vomit my stomach was trying to rid itself of. I was dizzy and disoriented, but soon felt myself being gently lifted to my feet as a familiar scent washed over me.

Ranger

Steph and I identified our targets at the same time. It took only a second to subdue the little shitbag on our street, but Frank had more trouble with his. The guy managed to slam into Stephanie and she hit both her head and arm on a pole. I sprinted across the street, completely oblivious to traffic honking at my sudden appearance on the road. I reached her in less than 3 seconds, and pulled her to me.

"Babe, are you alright?" I stared into her eyes, looking for signs of a concussion. She focused on me, and leaned her head against my chest.

"I'm OK, I think. Just sore. And I feel like I'm going to throw up."

"We should get you checked out, but I think you'll be fine." I told her, hoping desperately that it was true. " We'll go to an ER, then I can take you back to the condo afterwards so you can lie down. Maybe we can try the whole 'Netflix and chill' thing the kids rave about."

"Ranger, if I have a concussion, I don't think that would help it. Do you even know what that's code for?"

I had been ignoring the guy Frank now had handcuffed and pushed up against a wall. But he had been staring at us with contempt. "What's a nice white girl like you doing with a boy like that?" He sneered. "You should get with a real man like me, have some nice white babies, not pollute yourself with the likes of him."

Stephanie pushed away from me and took the few steps to get her where Frank had him shoved against the side of the building. "That "boy" is 8,14,18, and 88 times the man you are or will ever be. And any other numbers you've decided to corrupt. And I'd rather fuck a pineapple than let your Nazi hands ever touch me." And with that, she made an impressive sound in the back of her throat and landed a gob of spit on his face about the size of her hamster's head.

Mary came up beside us, dragging our guy behind her. She looked at me. "Your girlfriend set quite the standard for you to meet. 177,408 times better than these assholes." She yanked at his arms, revealing a swastika tattoo on his wrist. "Nevermind. That's an easy bar to clear."

Three other agents came out of the woodwork and took custody of the two men. I turned to the one in charge. "Can you take it from here? I want to get Stephanie looked at, she may have a concussion. Let me know what you get from interrogating these guys."

He nodded and I wrapped an arm around Steph, helping to support her to a bench around the corner. I was worried about her being nauseous, since that was a symptom of a concussion. I sat her down then knelt beside her. "Babe, I want to bring you to a hospital. We should get you checked out."

Stephanie

I shook my head at Ranger's suggestion, and immediately wished I hadn't as my brain screamed at me. "I can't afford to go to the hospital. I've got a high-deductible plan. I don't have the money to do the co-pay. Just take me back so I can lie down."

Ranger shifted uncomfortably, which was an odd look for him. "What?" I asked.

"Well, first of all, since you got hurt while working, you're covered. But even if you weren't.."

"Even if I wasn't what?"

"I added you to my policy. You have Rangeman insurance."

"But we've only been dating a few days. You can't add someone to a policy in the middle of a month."

"About that. I added you as a domestic partner shortly after the incident with the Slayers. I figured that if you had slept in my bed it counted."

I stared at him. "You've been paying for health insurance for me for years? Why? And why not as an employee of Rangeman?"

He stared into my eyes. "Because as lucky as you are at avoiding serious injury, you have a very real potential of getting hurt someday. I wanted to make sure you weren't bankrupted for life because of it. It was cheaper to pay for health insurance than potentially pay for a large hospital bill out of pocket to save you from that. As for listing you as a domestic partner," he coughed in a way that was thoroughly unconvincing. "I liked the idea of it. Even if it was just in my imagination. It also happened to be cheaper, as employees of Rangeman get hurt far more than average people. Partners are generally at much lower risk."

I was taken aback. He had been doing so much to protect me, even without me knowing it. I acquiesced. "OK, take me to an Urgent Care or something to get checked out."

"Babe, we're in a city with one of the 10 best hospitals in the country. You're getting first rate care." He scooped me up and carried me to the car, settling me in the soft seat, then headed for University City.


	43. Chapter 43

_Recap: They catch the white supremacists, but Stephanie is thrown against a pole and hits her head. One of the people they capture makes racist remarks about them being an interracial couple, as white supremacists are wont to do. Ranger tells Stephanie he put her on his insurance plan as his domestic partner back when she first spent a night at his place._

Ranger

In 10 minutes I had pulled into the entrance of the University of Pennsylvania ER. I gave my keys to the valet, along with a huge tip to make sure my car would not get scratched. Then I lifted Stephanie out of the car and carried her in.

"Ranger, I can walk. Or you can put me in a wheelchair."

I gave the right side of her head a peck and gently carried her to a chair in the waiting room. "Not with a head wound. Rest here, I'll get started on the paperwork."

It is amazing how much paperwork you have to fill out going to a hospital. If you don't enter with a gushing wound or chest pains they give you paperwork longer than the US Constitution to fill out. I carried it back to Steph and got to work on it while she leaned her head on my shoulder. I talked with her, both to keep her awake and to judge how alert she was. If she became at all incoherent or disoriented I'd storm the gates to get her seen by a doctor. While small talk isn't my strong suit, I'd do it so I could evaluate her.

"Tell me about your nieces."

"They are so much like me and Val, it's scary. Angie is just this model child. Quiet, respectful, good at schoolwork. She'll grow up to be this perfect model Burg wife probably. Or a doctor. Maybe a lawyer, probably a better one than her dad.

"Mary Alice though, she's like me. Wild, untamed. Thinks she's a horse. Watching her grow up, I can sympathize a bit with what my mom must have had to deal with. I just hope Val doesn't try to squash her the way my mom squashed me."

I hoped so too. The thought of Stephanie as a small child, jumping off the garage roof because she wanted to fly both pained me and made me smile. It pained me because I wanted to protect her. It made me smile because I could still see that little girl inside her. It's part of what makes her so magnetic, so full of life.

"She has something you didn't." I told her.

"What's that?"

"An Aunt who went through the same thing."

I kissed the top of her head, gently. She snuggled into me, and I carefully wrapped an arm around her, making sure I didn't touch any bruised parts.

"What about you? You don't talk much about your family. I know more from Lester than I do from you."

"Typical Cuban family. 6 kids, more cousins than you could fit on a schoolbus, and enough extended family to fill a movie theatre. My parents and Grandparents all came to the United States after Castro took over. My parents met in Miami, then moved to Newark to look for work. I was born there."

"I can't imagine you as a child. You seem like the kind of person who would just spring fully formed from your dad's head, all decked out in battle gear."

"Are you calling me Athena?"

"Of course not. I'm Italian. I'm calling you Minerva."

Before I could come up with a witty reply a nurse came in and called her name. "Stephanie Plum?"

I scooped her up and carried her into the ER, to the nurse's shock. "We have wheelchairs, you know. Or is she hurt too badly to move herself?"

I shook my head. "As long as she needs me, I'll always carry her."

And I would.

Stephanie

Hospitals are boring. You sit and wait, then have 2 minutes seeing someone, then sit and wait some more. Ranger tried to keep me amused by telling me tales of his childhood, and a few from his army days. Most of his missions were classified, but his antics weren't. Seems Lester was even more of a clown back then.

It took an X-Ray, a CAT scan, and a cognition test, but eventually everyone was satisfied that I had no major damage but a bruise on my head. As the doctor wrote out instructions for care he made note of Ranger's arm protectively around my shoulders.

"For the rest of the day keep an ice pack on your head for 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. And for the next 4 days no rigorous activity."

I grinned at Ranger. "Ha. I guess that means you won't be able to get me into the gym."

Ranger looked pained. "How do you define rigorous activity?" he asked the doctor.

The doctor coughed. He looked like he was just barely out of puberty. When did doctors become younger than me? This was disturbing.

"Anything that would cause your blood pressure to rise. Avoid stairs, running, and, ah.." The poor kid was almost stammering.

"I assume you mean no intimate activity that would cause an elevated heart rate?" Ranger said, matter-of-factly.

The doctor nodded. "We want to give all the blood vessels a chance to heal. We didn't see any damage, but we don't want to take any chances."

Ranger took the paperwork as Dr. Killjoy left my 'room' that consisted of a bed with curtains. "This sucks. Less than a week into a relationship and we have to be celibate for 4 days?" By the time we could have sex again we would have spent nearly half our time together _not_ sleeping together. I pouted a bit.

Ranger kissed the corners of my frown. "We'll deal, Babe. Do you want to stay in the condo tonight, or go back to Trenton?"

I considered. As wonderful as this time alone with him was, there wasn't a lot to do together if I had to stay still. "Let's go back. I miss Rex."

An hour later we were packed up and on the road back to Trenton. Ranger had insisted on doing all the packing while I sat on the couch. He'd also carried me from the car to the condo. On the way back, however, I put my foot down. Literally. "Ranger, I can walk. I can't go jogging, but it's ridiculous for you to try to move 2 bags and me all in one trip." He looked a little abashed, but agreed that it would be far simpler to move without juggling a duffle, a rolling suitcase, and a person.

We were almost back in Trenton when my phone rang. It was my mother.

"Stephanie, I want you to come to dinner tomorrow night."

"I don't know mom, you aren't going to invite Joe are you?"

"Stephanie dear, I don't know why you got into a tiff with him, but you really should work it out."

"Don't invite him mom. In fact, I'll bring someone with me, OK?"

"Your friends are always welcome. I'll make extra fried chicken."

I blanched internally at that, thinking about Ranger eating something fried. I didn't doubt he'd do it to please my mother, but I didn't want to put him in that position. "Any chance it could be baked instead? "

There was silence on the other side. Questioning a Burg housewife's food was simply not done. "I suppose. I'll see you tomorrow at 6." And she hung up. Without telling me what was for dessert. That was the Burg equivalent of threatening to disown you.

I turned to Ranger. "Hey honey. Want to come to my parent's for dinner tomorrow?"

"Babe."


	44. Chapter 44

_Recap: Ranger takes Stephanie to the hospital, then back to Trenton. Stephanie makes plans to go to dinner at her mother's._

Stephanie

It was evening by the time we got back to Rangeman. Ranger took the bags and left me with nothing to carry but my purse and the bag of ice I'd been holding there off and on since we left the hospital. Half my hair was now going crazy from the repeated applications, and I looked a little like I'd stuck half my head in a blender. I was exhausted from the short night, the adrenaline-filled day, the injury, and the stress of being in a hospital. I wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep for a week.

That's not true. I wanted nothing more than to take Ranger to bed and fuck him all night, catch a few hours sleep, and then do the same thing in the morning. But noooooo. I had to have a head injury. No sex for 96 hours. Considering we started sleeping together Wednesday morning, and had last slept together about 12 hours ago, by the time we could start again we actually would have spent more than half our relationship without making love. The large box of condoms was poking through the edge of my bag, taunting me with its uselessness.

I looked up at Ranger's eyes. They held so much emotion. Concern, exhaustion, but most of all love. He loved me, had loved me for a long time. And I had loved him too. I ran my hand up and down his arm as the elevator traveled to the seventh floor.

When the door opened I felt some of the tension melt away from my body. 7 wasn't exactly my home, but it was starting to feel that way. In the kitchen I saw Rex running on his wheel. I put down my bag and rushed over to him. He paused and looked at me, and I grinned back as he started running again. Ella had not only taken care of him, she had decorated his cage with a tiny bouquet of flowers, and strung the outside of the cage with a string of paper American, Italian, and Hungarian flags, as well as one I didn't recognize.

"It's Cuban." Ranger said, reading my mind. "Seems Ella is dropping hints. I think she wants me to adopt him."

"I don't know, do you think you're responsible enough to take care of a hamster?"

"Babe."

"I mean it. Sure, you're CEO of a large company that employs dozens and dozens of people, and you are regularly in life or death situations, but you have to clean the cage, like, every week. It takes at least 10 minutes. And you have to make sure he has food and water. It's not easy."

And with that, he swept me up into his arms and carried me into the bedroom. Completely ignoring any hamster-daddy related activities. See? Not responsible enough.

Ranger

I set her down gently on the bed, listening to her giggle. I wished so much I could take all the pain on myself, suck the injuries into my body. Every bruise on her skin hurt to look at far more than it would have hurt to carry them on my own. But all I could do was care for her. And give her the ride of her life in the 93 hours, 37 minute, and 15 seconds when it was safe. Not that I was counting.

"Do you want to go to sleep Babe?"

She nodded. "It's been a hell of a ride the last day."

That was an understatement. In the last 24 hours I had gotten a blow job in a public place within earshot of a stranger, suffered a PTSD attack, been told I was loved, admitted my own feelings, watched Stephanie solve a puzzle that would have stumped the FBI for hours, caught two white supremacists that were threatening the president, and watched the love of my life get hurt, again, while I was powerless to stop it. It felt like this day had taken weeks to go by.

I grabbed a t-shirt and panties from the closet and brought them to the bed. Then I carefully undressed the tender, fierce, resilient woman who was crazy enough to say she loved me. I was tempted to cut away her clothes rather than make her lift her arms above her head, but she would have thought that was wasteful. So I just dressed her as gently as I could, careful to not touch her injuries.

Stephanie

I went to sleep within a few minutes of getting home. I was just completely worn out. A few minutes after I drifted off I felt Ranger lay down on the bed beside me. I snuggled up to him as he wrapped an arm around me, and I fell asleep again with my face pressed against his chest.

I woke up the next morning to an empty bed but a note from Ranger.

 _Good Morning Babe. Because you got hurt in the line of duty, you're on administrative leave for the day. Full pay, but no looking at screens, exercising, practising at the firing range, or anything else that might strain your body. Call Ella when you wake up for breakfast, and I'll join you for lunch. In the meantime, sleep as much as you can. Ella can also keep you company if you get bored or lonely. Recovering from a potential concussion is boring, and I'm sorry about that, but I don't want to take any chances. Save up your strength for dinner with your family this evening, and cancel it without any guilt if you don't feel up to it. Your health comes first._

 _I love you,_

 _~R_

It was a sweet message, even if he was being overprotective again. I called Ella and she said she would be up in 10 minutes with food, so I got up and got dressed. I felt OK, aside from a headache and a bunch of sore bruises. There was nothing visible past my elbow, so at least I'd easily be able to cover up easily. I didn't want Mom to freak out about the danger of my job yet again, or to think Ranger had hurt me. I went with a black long-sleeved Rangeman T-shirt and cargoes, and had just finished up when I heard Ella come in.

I stepped out of the bedroom to see her putting a plate on the dining room table. "Thank you for taking care of Rex. I love what you did with the cage."

"It was a pleasure, dear. Let me know if you ever want me to watch him again. Louis and I enjoyed having him."

I was surprised. "You brought him to your place?"

"I did. I didn't want him to get lonely. He watched TV with us, and spent Saturday in the break room with the men. He's quite social."

I was glad Rex hadn't been lonely while I was away. I tapped the side of his cage to say hello while Ella turned to go. When I sat down at the table I saw that not only had she made me pancakes, but they were heart shaped. And on them there was a symbol. The Batman and Wonder Woman logos, drawn in the batter.

"Ella, can you adopt me?" I asked as I heard the door open. She didn't reply, but I heard a chuckle before it clicked closed.

The rest of the day was boring, as Ranger had said it would be. After I ate the very nice pancakes I went back to sleep, waking when Ranger came up for lunch. We chatted while eating sandwiches on way-too-many grain bread (honestly, how many grains are there? I think they just make up new ones to mess with us.) He only kissed my hand and my forehead, which was just frustrating. I wanted to drag him back to the bedroom and tear off his clothing with my teeth, but I assumed that would fall under the category of "Things that would raise my blood pressure."

After lunch I puttered around the apartment. I listened to some podcasts, did my nails, and in general killed time. At 4 I started to get ready for dinner with my parents, doing the whole shower-blow dry-makeup thing. Normally I wouldn't put so much effort into going to my parents' house, but I was going to be introducing Ranger to them; not as a co-worker, but as my boyfriend. I figured I'd need all the help I could get.

At 5:30 Ranger entered the apartment. 5 minutes later he had gone from his normal work wear to casual dressy, with slacks and a Rangeman polo shirt. The fact that it took him only a few minutes to get dressed up while it took me more than an hour was frustrating, but I think I was just deflecting my nervousness.

We took the truck to my parents' house, it would look less out-of-place than any of the Porsches would. As we turned the corner I saw my Grandmother and Mother standing at the door, drawn by their ever-present instinct alerting them that their progeny was approaching.

"Are you ready Babe?" Ranger said, looking at me with concern. "We can go back if you want."

I shook my head, than regretted it as my brain complained as the motion. I realized he may be nervous too. It was odd to think of him being intimidated by something as simple as dinner with my parents. But he was.

"Let's do this." I said, with more steel in my voice than I really felt. I unbuckled myself and opened the door, ready to face whatever came.


	45. Chapter 45

Two updates in one day. If you didn't read the one where Steph is recovering in Ranger's apartment, be sure to go back and read it as well.

 _Recap: Stephanie has a boring day resting to recover from her injury, and is about to go to her parents' place for dinner_

Stephanie

My heart was pounding and my hands were sweaty. Ranger got out of the truck and walked around to help me with the step down. It was unnecessary, but sweet. I steeled myself as we walked the few yards to the house, the distance feeling like it was miles.

"Hey, you brought the one with the nice package" Grandma said, breaking some of the tension. I gave her a hug.

"Yes Grandma Mazur, but you can't touch it."

"What do you mean? I'm an old lady, I got rights."

Oh boy. Just what I needed. My boyfriend being groped by a septuagenarian.

"It's nice to see you again Mrs. Mazur, Mrs. Plum." He said, kindly ignoring all discussion of his genitals. He's so thoughtful that way.

"It's nice to see you too Mr. Ranger." My mother said, her lips tight through a smile I hoped he didn't notice was forced.

"Just Ranger is fine. Mr. Ranger was my commanding officer."

Great. Now I get funny Ranger. Just as sexy as Commando Ranger and Armani Ranger, but slightly less predictable. I started to walk into the house, leading Ranger to the living room. I groaned internally when I saw the table. It was crammed with chairs. There should have been 5, but instead there were 8, plus 2 more at a card table.

"Mom, are Val and the kids coming over as well?"

"Yes dear, she called and said she was running a little late. Mary Alice refused to put on shoes unless they were made of metal, because that's what horses wear."

If _I_ had been late for dinner, it would have been a calamity of epic proportions. The potroast would be dry, the vegetables rubbery, the cake stale. But mom just shrugged it off coming from Val. Sure, she had kids, but it's not like the food would know why it wasn't being served immediately at 6.

I looked at the table again and counted, ticking people off on my fingers. Then I double checked. "Mom, why is there an extra chair?"

"Extra chair, honey?"

"You, Dad, Grandma, Me, Ranger, Val and Albert. 7 adults, 2 kids and a baby. So who is the extra chair for?"

Her look of guilt told me everything I needed to know. "Mom, you didn't invite Joe, did you?"

"Well, I was hoping you would see him and could reconcile. You aren't getting any younger, and he wants to marry you."

I winced at the idea of spending the rest of my life dealing with the put-downs, the snide remarks, and the biting sarchasm. And I dreaded seeing him again so soon. I had told him in no uncertain terms that he was not to try to see me, including at my parents house. Honestly, I had really been hoping he would respect my wishes. It would make a friendship down the line a lot easier, and I didn't want to completely lose him from my life. We had been through too much.

"If Morelli is coming, than we are leaving." Ranger said in his calm, measured voice. It was only because I knew him so well that I could see how angry he was. His jaw tightened as he kept his emotions in check.

Mom backtracked. "He didn't agree to come. He said he had to work every night this week. But I told him I would have a place if was able to get a bit of time off."

A sense of true relief flooded me. Not just for not having to see him tonight, when it would be too soon, but because it seemed Morelli was going to honor my wishes. I knew his routine, and while he often worked long hours, it would be very unusual for him to be scheduled to work nights all week without being able to leave for 45 minutes for dinner. He had given my mom an excuse that wouldn't hurt her feelings or raise suspicion, but that also meant he wouldn't make me uncomfortable.

My thoughts were interrupted by galloping. Mary Alice had come in the door at full speed, followed by Angie walking at a sedate pace, Albert chasing after Mary Alice, and Val carrying the diaper bag and the baby.

"Oh good, you're all here." Mom said in a far too cheery voice. "I made baked chicken and mashed potatoes."

"I thought we were having fried chicked." Mary Alice whined.

Ranger looked down at her without missing a beat. "Horses don't like fried breading. It gets caught in their teeth."

Mary Alice looked up at him. He was about 2 feet taller than she was, and his biceps were about the size of her legs, but she wasn't intimidated. "Are you sure?" she asked in a voice that was part defiant, and part worried, like she was wondering what she should do if it turned out horses didn't like fried chicken. I decided not to mention horses didn't eat meat at all. Mom would deny me pineapple upsidown cake forever if I turned Mary Alice into a vegetarian.

Ranger nodded seriously at her. "Think about it, you can't hold a toothpick with a hoof, so picking something out of your teeth is really hard if you're a horse. So, no fried food that makes hard little bits that might get caught."

Mary Alice pondered that for a moment, then seemed to accept it. "Why are you all in black? Are you going to a funeral with Grammy later? You shouldn't wear boots to a funeral" she said, pointing to the combat boots he was still wearing.

Ranger shuddered at the thought of _that_ little field trip, though barely perceptibly. "I wear all black because I'm no good at matching colors. So if everything is the same color, it's easy. And I wear the boots to protect my feet. What if I went bowling after dinner and dropped a ball on my foot? Without my boots I'd break my toes."

I suspected that the boots were more out of fear that I'd stomp on his toes to get him to stop talking about something than to protect him from bowling balls, but it seemed to make sense to Mary Alice.

"So, your boots are like horseshoes? They keep your feet safe?"

Ranger nodded. "Just like horseshoes."

Satisfied, Mary Alice sat down at the card table across from Angie, who was sitting primly, napkin in her lap, calmly waiting for the food to show up.

Mom brought the food out from the kitchen, and we all sat down. Grandma made a move to sit next to Ranger, but I headed her off and sat him next to Albert. I really didn't want Grandma to try to feel him up during dinner. Both because it would be really awkward for him, and because I'm sure he was carrying his gun. He _probably_ wouldn't shoot her, but if she made a grab for the gun _she_ might shoot dinner. Again.

Food was served onto plates and passed around. Ranger ate his baked chicken and even some mashed potatoes, despite the butter and salt. Dad stayed silent, as always. Val started nursing when Lisa got fussy. I had been worried for a moment, but Ranger took it in stride. Then Albert tried to convince Ranger that he should hire him to be legal counsel for Rangeman.

"I'm a great lawyer, well, not great, but I do OK. And I'm always available, anytime, anyplace. I mean, I'm busy with all my clients, but for _you_ I'd always be available. Because you're friends with Stephanie, not because you're scary. Not that you're scary. I mean, you're a _little_ scary, but not like, horror movie scary. I can't watch horror movies, they give me gas."

I stared wide-eyed at Val, hoping she could do something to shut him up. He was going to either dig himself into a verbal hole so deep he'd faint, or give himself a heart attack.

"Honey," Val said. "Can you get the other blanket for Lisa? I left it in the car."

"Uh, sure hun. I'll be right back."

Albert scrambled away, probably relieved to have been interrupted in his verbal diarrhea death spiral. But my relief came too soon. Because Grandma Mazur looked Ranger straight in the eye.

"So, Hot Stuff. What are your intentions towards my Granddaughter?"

All eyes, including the baby's, fell on us.

 _Gulp._


	46. Chapter 46

_Sorry it's been so long since I updated. I'm in the process of moving, so I'm often away from my computer._

 _Recap: Ranger and Steph go to dinner at her parents' house. Chaos ensues, but Ranger shows himself to be excellent at placating Mary Alice, standing up for Stephanie against her Mother, and not shooting Grandma when she asks his intentions towards Stephanie._

Stephanie

You ever have one of those hours where every second drags by like the last day of school before Christmas Vacation? This hour was like that. OK, it was probably only a few seconds. Long enough for Ranger to chew and swallow, then take a drink of water. He set down his glass and looked at Grandma, his eyes sparkling.

"I intend to care for her, love her, and spend my life with her for as long as she'll have me."

The room was deathly silent, aside from the small suckling noises Lisa made as she turned back to her dinner. Had Ranger just said what I thought he'd said? We'd been dating a week, was he hinting at marriage?

My mom looked a little faint, dad went back to his potatoes. Nobody spoke until a quiet voice came from the card table. "Are you and Aunt Stephanie going to get married? Will you have any babies I can give pony rides to?"

It was Mary Alice. She alone didn't looked shocked. Grandma was grinning like a fool, but everyone else was exhibiting some level of suprise. "I don't know honey." I told her, honestly. "Would you like that?"

She thought for a moment. "Yes. You smile when you mention him. Even when you don't mean to. You don't smile about Uncle Joe the same way, you look eggs-per-rated."

"That's _exasperated_ Mary Alice." My sister replied. She looked at me. "I agree, you do look happier. Your eyes are more relaxed."

"Can I call you Uncle Ranger?" Mary Alice asked. "Grandma said I should call the other guy Uncle Joe, but I don't like him. He says I'm not a horse. And I _am too_ a horse!"

Ranger spoke up. "You can call me Uncle Ranger. I'd like that. I used to know some nice horses, so I'd like to get to know you too."

Mary Alice looked enchanted. I knew the feeling. He gobsmacked me on a regular basis. Albert came back in at that moment, stuttering his blanket-getting adventure. "I found the blanket, but it had some crumbs on it, so I shook it out. Then I lost my grip when I was shaking it, and I kind of dropped it. But I found it! It fell in a puddle, but I squeegeed out most of the water out of it. See?"

He held the blanket out to Val. It was covered in mud, though not very wet. Dry streaks covered it where he had tried and failed to clean it. My mom hopped up to grab the blanket, then rushed away to put it in the laundry. I had no doubt that tomorrow it would be ironed 8 or 9 times.

Ranger's pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket, and he stepped into the kitchen to take it. A moment later he came back. "That was the Secret Service. They have more information, and we need to go back to Haywood to discuss it."

Mom looked startled. Again. She was having quite the surprising day. "The Secret Service?"

"Yes. Rangeman has been contracted to help provide security for the President for a rally on Halloween. Stephanie has kindly agreed to help, and her insight and local knowledge has already proven to be invaluable. She was instrumental in catching two leaders of a terrorist group this weekend." He turned to look at me. "I'm afraid we need to go back now and debrief."

My mother's expression changed. I hadn't told her about the job. There was just too much going on, and I wasn't sure how she would react to it. But now she actually looked….impressed? It was such an unfamiliar expression I could barely recognize it.

"Thank you for your hospitality Mrs. Plum, but we really do need to be going."

Mom jumped up and performed her 'Burg housewifely duties of packing up leftovers. Ranger said goodbye to everyone and carried the paper bag of food as we left.

I let out a breath of relief as we cleared the house. I climbed into the truck and flopped back against the soft seat, grateful to be alone with him. As he pulled away from the curb I looked at him. "As long as I'll have you, hmm?"

"It's true Babe. I've been an idiot in the past, I don't intend to make that mistake again."

I stared ahead at the road, watching the light pass us as we made the short drive back to the office. "It's good timing that Agent Mankiller called. I really needed to get out of there."

Ranger didn't say anything, but his lip twitched slightly.

"Wait, it wasn't good timing at all. Did she even call?"

"Nope. That was Tank. I knew things might get chaotic, so I had him call every 5 minutes. If everything was clear I'd let it go to voicemail, but if I thought you needed to get out of there, I'd answer the call and use it to make our excuses."

His thoughtfulness and planning floored me, as always. How did I get so incredibly lucky? "So we don't have a meeting with the USSS tonight then?"

"Not tonight. But we do have a one with them in the morning. I'm not nuts about you being up and about so soon after your injury, but you deserve to know what intelligence they gathered."

I was glad. Despite all my resting that day, I was exhausted. Still, I was grateful to be included.

We pulled into the garage at the Rangeman building, and I was amazed how much it felt like home. I had that same sense of serenity and security I got when I went to my apartment. Moreso, in fact, as my apartment had as many bad guys passing through as a bus stop outside a prison. Here I was in the safest apartment in the city. We walked to the elevator, his arm wrapped around my shoulders in a gesture that was both affectionate and supportive.

When we got into the apartment I was tired enough I just wanted to fall asleep. I striped down and took a shower while Ranger put the food in the fridge. When I got out I collapsed on the sheets and was asleep within seconds.

Ranger

We had survived dinner. Honestly, I'm not sure how Stephanie grew up in that house and managed to come out as strong as she did. I could only be grateful she had. After she fell asleep I did some work I had been neglecting, then just watched her sleep for a while. She looked angelic, with her hair spread in crazy curls around her head. She was naked, and I wanted her so much it hurt. But I contented myself with kissing her forehead, pulling her into my arms, and holding her until I drifted off as well.


	47. Chapter 47

_Recap: Stephanie and Ranger survive dinner, partly by Ranger planning ahead with Tank to call to give them an escape._

Stephanie

I woke to the sound of Ranger in the shower. My first instinct was to go join him, before remembering that with no possibility of sex, that would likely just lead to a lot of frustration. So I bundled up into a soft terry-cloth robe and started to work the knots out of my hair before I jumped in the shower.

A few minutes later Ranger stepped out, the scent of Bvlgari wafting behind him. Steam rose from his sculpted shoulder muscles and chest, while small droplets flowed down tantalizingly to the towel wrapped around his waist. I wanted to reach out and touch each drop, to follow its path down into his…

"Earth to Babe."

I jumped a little and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, what? My mind was wandering."

His grin told me he knew exactly where my mind had been. "Agent Mankiller will get here around 11:30 to let us know what they got from interrogating those terrorists you helped to catch. I was thinking we could grab some pizzas and have a lunch meeting."

"Sounds good. How about I pick up Pino's?"

"That would be great, Babe." He moved over to me and looked down, his eyes scanning my face, and a hand in my hair. Then he bent down and kissed me, so gently it wouldn't have broken a soap bubble. I moaned at the touch, and nuzzled my mouth into the crook of his neck, nipping at the collar bone. "Babe…" he whispered, as I felt him harden underneath me.

I shouldn't be doing this, I knew that, but I wanted him so badly. So I sucked lightly on his skin, causing him to take in a sharp gasp. Then his lips were on my neck, then my collarbone, and he pulled the delicate flesh between his teeth, nibbling slightly. If felt so good I clutched him tighter to me, desperate to feel him against me. He sucked harder as I moaned in pleasure and his hand encircled my wrist.

And then he pulled away, leaving me whimpering a protest. "Sorry Babe, your pulse was raising too much, had to...shit."

He stepped away from me and inspected my neck. "Fuck, Babe, I'm sorry. I left a hickey."

I rushed into the bathroom and wiped away the fog on the mirror. Sure enough, there was a small hickey forming on my skin. Annoying, but it couldn't be helped. "I'm going to hop in the shower. I'll come down to go get the pizza at 11. Have a good day!" Then like a coward I jumped into the water, turned it as low as I could stand it, and tried to cool my hormones before I pulled him back to bed, doctor's instructions be damned.

I spent the morning being bored, just like I was the day before. I dozed, inspected my split ends, and puttered. I got dressed in a suit for the meeting, and arrived in Ranger's office precisely at 11. He smiled at me as I walked in the door, not his half-smirk that he generally used, but his 200 watt smile that lit up the room. He walked over to me, planting a kiss on my lips.

"Now, now, what was that you were saying about not getting my heart-rate up?"

"Couldn't be helped, Babe." He said, pulling the collar of my suit jacket aside to inspect the morning's damage. "It's gotten pretty dark, but the jacket should keep it hidden. I called in the order 15 minutes ago. 3 pizzas, a meatball sub, and 8 orders of coffee. It should be ready by the time you get there. We have plates here."

"You don't have coffee here? With all the overnight shifts?"

"The machine on that floor is on the fritz, and it seemed easier than hauling out an old machine." He handed me a Rangeman credit card. I nodded and gave Ranger a quick peck on the cheek, then headed down to my car in the garage.

10 minutes later I was pulling into Pino's parking lot. I got out and was almost through the door when I saw Joe's car in the parking lot. _Shit_. I stood in the chilly weather and considered leaving. But it was pretty crowded in there, maybe we wouldn't run into each other. And Ranger had already made the order. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Pino's during the lunch rush is a sight to behold. Cops and taxi drivers everywhere, booths crammed with bodies, waiters shouting orders and rushing to refill drinks. I made my way to the counter and asked for the Rangeman order. The guy scrambles to pull everything together, giving me a stack of boxes and a paper bag that presumable had my meatball sub. "That will be $45.27, cash or charge?"

I gave him the card and looked at my order. "What about the coffee?"

"Shit" the guy said, and rushed over to the coffee pot to fill the cups. I saw Joe sitting in a booth out of the corner of my eye. He was trying not to look at me, but his eyes kept drifting over in my direction. I was glad he was keeping his respectful distance, Trenton was too small a city for us to not run into each other on occasion.

Two paper drink holders filled with coffee were hastily placed onto my stack of boxes, and I handed over the card. I was running late with the delay, and after I signed the slip I grabbed the stack and turned, only to bang into a person standing too close behind me.

Carl Costanza let out a yell as I hit him with the pizza boxes, but not as hard as I did as one of the coffee cups burst open and spilled all over me, covering me with scalding coffee fresh from the pot. I gasped as the heat hit me, and I barely got the pizza, sub, and other coffees back onto the counter so I wouldn't drop them. I tore off my jacket to get the coffee off my skin, wincing from the pain. Carl grabbed some napkins and ice water from a nearby table and made a cold compress. The wet napkins felt soothing against the burns, and after a moment I was able to look around. The entire restaurant was staring at us, many pulling out their phones. Joe was half standing, looking like his protective instincts were at war with my request to stay away. I nodded at him, letting him know that he could come over.

Joe looked relieved as he walked over to me, the room still silent aside from the subtle clicking of camera phones. He lifted a napkin slightly to inspect the damage, and Carl realized how bruised my skin was underneath. "Plum, what the hell happened to your arm?"

"I had a rough takedown." I said. It was true, and I didn't want to bring up getting roughed up by Nazis over the weekend. The bruises were still ugly, even though they didn't really hurt anymore, especially compared to the burns on my arm.

Even worse, Joe spotted the hickey on my collarbone. He hissed in a breath when he saw it, physical proof that I wasn't just working with Ranger, but was sleeping with him as well. I stood still, hoping he wouldn't make a scene. Instead he shrugged of his jacket and put it over my shoulders, covering the bruises and hickey, hiding them from the prying eyes all around us.

"Let me help you get those to your car?" he said, a question in his tone. I wavered a moment, then nodded. I wanted to get out of there, and the wet napkins on my skin and sore arm meant he was the quickest way to do it. Joe grabbed the stack and worked his way out the door, me on his heels. Through the glass door, I could see phones fly to ears, and I knew I would be the talk of the 'Burg yet again. All from a simple errand to pick up lunch.

I unlocked the door to my car and Joe carefully placed the pizza on the passenger seat. Then he stood there, looking surprisingly awkward, hands in his jeans pockets and looking everywhere but at me. I pulled his jacket off my shoulders and handed it back to him, then slipped into the driver's side door and started the engine. I kept an eye on him as I pulled out of the parking lot, watching him stand there sadly in the chill wind while I drove away.

I got back to Rangeman right on time, and Lester was waiting in the garage to help me bring everything up. He raised an eyebrow at my bare arm and collarbone, but didn't say anything. "I had a slight coffee mishap. I'm going up to 7 to grab a different jacket. Can you bring the food to the conference room?"

"Sure, Bomber." He said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You're rocken' more injuries than just the one you got with me. Your arm might have been bruised, but your collarbone was fine."

I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm not hurt there and you know it. We just got a little carried away this morning. Now stop the innuendo and help me out."

"Got it, Bomber."

10 minutes later I was sitting in the conference room while everyone was munching on pizza. Frank and Mary were sitting next to each other, suppressing smiles. Mary must have gotten her suit out of storage, as she smelled strongly of cedar. I also noticed she had a thin silver chain around her neck that I hadn't seen before. I hadn't asked Frank about whatever it was he had bought while pretending to use the restroom at the jewelry store, but I suspected it was now on Mary's neck.

Once everyone had food in front of them Mary started giving us a report on the men we had arrested. "It looks like while we got the ringleaders, the plans were already far enough in motion that we didn't get everyone involved."

My phone rang, and I scrambled to silence it. It was Valarie, I'd call her back after the meeting.

Mary continued, "They were unable or unwilling to name anyone else. They only knew each other by screen names anyway. In fact, they claim they had never met each other until Sunday. Both gave up everything they knew."

Lester let out a sound that was half laugh, half disgust. "Terrorists being cowards? Who would have thought?"

Mary nodded. "Unfortunately they really didn't seem to know much. Potentially many people trying to smuggle in weapons, hoping someone would be able to get a shot in."

Ranger nodded. "Any chance we can skip having the President do the rope line? He'll be harder to attack when he's on stage."

Mary shook her head as my phone buzzed again. I ignored it and paid attention to what she was saying. "He's been one of the most prominent people in the world for over a decade. He refuses to live his life behind bars just because he's under threat. Trust me, we'd rather have him in the White House all the time. But we have to accommodate him, within reason."

My phone rang for the third time in as many minutes. I looked over at Ranger, and he nodded. I slipped out of the room and answered. "This better be important, Val, I'm in a meeting."

"Oh Stephanie, thank God you answered. I got a call from Mary Alice's school, and a water main broke, so everyone has to go home. Angie is on a field trip, so she's fine, but I can't get ahold of Mom, and I'm in court with Albert all day and can't get away! Can you go get her and keep her with you until court ends?"

"Why can't you get ahold of Mom?"

"The phone is busy, and you know she refuses to get call waiting. I really have to get back into court, Albert tends to blather when I'm not there to help. I can't ask a friend because only a few people have permission to pick up the kids at school, but I said any family member could."

He blathers even when she isn't, so I could imagine. And I had a feeling the phone being busy was my fault, she was probably fielding calls about my bruises and hickey. "You know we don't have much here for a kid to do."

"Just stick her in front of a TV or something. Court is going back in session. I have to go. Thanks!"

I wasn't sure I had actually agreed to anything, but she had already hung up. I sighed heavily and went back into the conference room, not looking forward to telling Ranger I had been drafted as a babysitter.


	48. Chapter 48

_Recap: Stephanie spills coffee on her arm while at on a pizza run, exposing her arm and a hickey to half the 'Burg. Joe walks her to her car, then back at the office Val calls her, asking her to fetch and take care of Mary Alice._

Ranger

My attention was split, not a common fault of mine. With most of my mind I was listening to details from Agent Mankiller, but my thoughts kept wandering to Stephanie. I had lost control this morning. Not in a big way, but any loss of control is unusual for me. This forced celibacy was going to drive me crazy by the time it was over. I'd started trying to relieve the tension when I was in the shower, then was hit with a wave of guilt. Not at masterbating, but at being able to take care of my needs when she couldn't take care of hers. So I'd stopped, and was still wound up when I saw her in my room, sleepy-eyed and tousle-haired.

Stephanie was pacing outside in the hall, looking agitated. I'd heard her say 'Val' before the door closed, so it was a family matter. As she came in she looked resigned, and I decided to give her a break.

"Let's take a break. Reconvene here at 1230 hours sharp."

Everyone stood up and stretched, some grabbing an extra slice of pizza. I kept an eye on which of my people did, they'd owe me extra laps later on. Stephanie looked relieved and got over to me as fast as she could without drawing attention to herself.

"Ranger, I'm sorry, there's an emergency and Val needs me to pick up Mary Alice from school. Something about a water main breaking. I tried to tell her no, but she insisted and hung up on me."

She looked harried and frantic, and I didn't want her to feel that way. "No problem. Go get her, I know what she can do when she gets here."

Steph looked surprised and relieved, and rushed to the elevator.

Zip

I was on monitor duty again, for the fifth time in two weeks. It's dull work, staring at a bunch of screens that have routine stuff going on 99.99% of the time. But you have to be vigilant for that .01% of the time something goes wrong. I closed and rubbed my eyes for a moment, trying to get them to stop watering from eye strain. When I removed my hands I nearly jumped out of my chair. Bossman was standing right in front of me, one eyebrow lifted.

"Sorry boss, just trying to get my eyes to focus."

"Uh-hu." he said in answer. Hmm, he's talkative today, not sure that's a good sign.

"I have an additional assignment for you, but it's volunteer."

I'd never had a request quite like that. But whatever I had done to deserve so much moniter duty, I wanted to make up for it. "Absolutely. What is it?"

A small child stepped out from behind the corner. At first I was flabbergasted. Ella and Steph are pretty much the only women ever in here, at least on this level. I don't think we'd ever had a child here. She was looking at the floor and twirling in a nervous fashion. I had absolutely no idea why she was in my work station, but I assumed she had something to do with the volunteer assignment.

"Mary Alice here needs someone to look after her while her Aunt and I are in a meeting. I'd like her to spend the afternoon with her. I assume you can carry on a conversation while still paying attention to the monitors?"

"Absolutely sir." I replied quickly, still having no idea what I was supposed to do with a little kid.

"Excellent. I'll return once our meeting is done." He turned his head to the kid. "Mary Alice, this is Zip. He grew up on a horse farm not far from here." And then he walked away.

The kid - Mary Alice? - looked at me with eyes the size of half dollars. "You grew up around horses?" she asked, her voice full of wonder.

"Um, Yeah, in Bucks county, across the river. Do you like horses?" That seemed like a safe question for a kid her age. Lots of them like horses.

"I _am_ a horse. See my hooves?" she stated, handing up her hands that looked, well, like hands.

"Um, sure. Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed you weren't a horse."

She nodded solemnly. "Sometimes I'm a reindeer near Christmas, but in October I'm a regular horse."

Oh, I get it. "So, you're going to be a horse for Halloween. Do you already have your costume?"

She looked at me like I was an idiot. The kind of look I thought only teenagers could pull off. Kids these days seem so grown up. "No, I _told_ you already. I'm a horse. Only Mommy says I only get to dress up in my horsy clothes on Halloween."

Ok, this was a little odd. "OK then. What's your favorite kind of horse?"

"I like Palominos. What's your favorite?"

"I like Appaloosa's"

"What's an Apolsa?"

I smiled a bit, and had to remind myself to look at the monitors while we talked. "A breed of horse from the Nez Perce tribe. Strong and tough, they protected the people when they were being chased away from their land. Most had spots on them. They're rare, because they were so strong the settlers feared them and killed the horses." I glanced over at her, and she was staring at me, enraptured. It occurred to me that talking about genocide with Stephanie's niece wasn't a great idea, so I changed the subject. "Have you ever ridden a real..I mean, another horse?"

She bowed her head. "No. Mommy says it's expensive, but that if Daddy wins this case, maybe I can go to horse camp in the summer."

There had been a Girl Scout camp nearby that had horses, Tohikanee, but it had closed a few years ago when three councils merged and they closed several of the camps. It would have been affordable, even for a family that was struggling. "Well, I think someone who loves horses, I mean, is a horse, should totally have a chance to ride one. Maybe you could come visit my family farm. We have a gentle one I bet you would love."

I've never really wanted kids, or understood why people would want them, but I will admit that the flying leap of a hug I got from that girl made me understand it, just a little bit.


	49. Chapter 49: At the Farm

_Recap: Zip is working the monitors when he is asked to watch Mary Alice. Discovering she loves horses, he offers to take her to his family farm where they have several._

Stephanie

After a long day in meetings I went back to level 5 to find Mary Alice. She was sitting with Zip, coloring some printouts with what looked like a pack of multi-colored highlighters. Zip was chatting with her as his eyes scanned the monitors. I was surprised that they both seemed to be enjoying themselves. Mary Alice heard me behind her and launched herself at my waist. "Aunt Stephanie! Zip is going to take me to ride horses!"

"Oh he is, is he?" I looked at him, and he glanced down sheepishly.

"Sorry Bomber, I guess I should have talked to you first, but you see my family has a farm in Bucks County, and we have horses, and I figured I have off tomorrow, and her school will be closed for a couple days. So I thought..."

"You thought you could take her to go see them?" He nodded. I thought about it. She loved horses so much, if she had a chance to spend time with them without Val and Albert having to spend a fortune, that would be great. "Let me call my sister."

I pulled out my cell. It was a few minutes past 5, so court should be out by now.

"Stephanie, is Mary Alice OK?"

I walked around the corner into Ranger's office so Mary Alice wouldn't hear the conversation. "She fine. Better than fine, in fact. She made friends with one of the guys who was watching her."

"What do you mean 'one of the guys who was watching her'? She was supposed to be with you and you left her with one of those…"

I could almost hear the word 'thug' forming on her brain.

"One of the employees of Rangeman who very kindly agreed to watch her after you dumped her in my lap without me even agreeing to get her. What if I hadn't been in town? I was in Philly two days ago. My time is valuable as well, and it's lucky Ranger was so understanding to let a child into the office at all.

"In any case, one of the guys is from a horse family and _very_ kindly offered to take her to his farm to meet them."

The line was silent for so long I checked my phone to make sure the call hadn't dropped.

"Val?"

"Are you saying that someone from your work is willing to take my daughter to be with horses, without charging us an arm and a leg?" Her voice was a mixture of relief, wonder, and trepidation.

"Yes. He has tomorrow off, and my understanding is that the school will still be closed. He offered to take her."

"I'm just not sure how safe I feel letting some stranger take her to a remote farm."

"He's not a stranger, he's a coworker of mine."

"Will you go with her?"

"Would that make you feel better?"

"Yes. I'd feel much better knowing you were there. Angie can be with us in court tomorrow, she'll be fine as long as she has a book, but Mary Alice might start galloping around"

I didn't want Mary Alice to miss out on the opportunity, and I was still not in any shape to make any captures, but being outside should be fine as long as I didn't exert myself.

"I'll check with Ranger, but it should be OK."

"Thanks Steph. Can you come get her at 8 tomorrow morning?"

Heaven forbid she drop Mary Alice off so I didn't have to get up and dressed as early while I was doing free babysitting, and giving her kid an experience she really wanted.

"Sure, fine. I'll see you then. Are you going to pick up Mary Alice, or"

"Can you drop her off at my house, maybe in an hour?"

Sigh.

Ranger

It's funny how quickly you get used to something. After years of only seeing Steph when she or I needed something, I'd gotten used to having her around all the time. I wonder how many of the times I asked for her help was it really just an excuse to see her. Certainly not all, but certainly not none. She had spent the day at Zip's family's farm with Mary Alice. There hadn't been a good reason to keep her here, aside from how much I loved having her around. She had left early in the morning, at least, early for her. I had been up for hours already, staring at her, holding her, nuzzling her hair until she woke. Tomorrow we would finally be able to have sex, and I was counting the seconds.

I was in my home office when she got back. Her nose was sunburned, her hair windswept, and she was walking with her legs oddly apart. She had a distinctly horsey smell, fresh hay and sweat and the oddly nice-smelling dung.

"Have fun with the horses, Babe?"

"I did. I even rode a tiny bit. Not enough to get my heart racing, but enough that I'm sore from sitting in the saddle."

"How about Mary Alice?"

"She had the time of her life. She knew a surprising amount of how to take care of them already, so she spent the morning feeding and watering and brushing every horse they had. The stable hand got to spend the morning catching up on paperwork since she was doing all the work."

"How long did Zip make her work before letting her ride?"

"Must have been 3 or 4 hours. She didn't mind though. She just kept brushing the horse and talking to them. Zip even let her keep her curry comb. I wouldn't be surprised if she uses it on her hair from now on. It will drive Val nuts."

Stephanie plopped down in the chair beside me. "After lunch she finally got to ride, and I swear she looked like it was Christmas, her birthday, and Summer Vacation all rolled into one. Bliss, absolute bliss."

"Probably made better by all the work she had to put into it."

"Yup. Everything except stuff you wouldn't want a kid to do. Zip picked the hooves, brushed where Mary Alice couldn't reach, and of course handled putting on the saddle and other equipment. He showed her how to do it, but for safety's sake he did all the actual buckling and pulling."

"How did you like riding?"

She laughed, a bright sound that filled the room with joy. "I had fun too, but I wasn't nuts about being that far off the ground. I went really slow while Zip lead the horse, so I didn't strain myself. I could never use a horse for transportation though, it's one thing when I burn or blow up some old beater car, but I'd hate for my luck to get transferred to a pretty animal like that."

I had a quick mental image of a horse fleeing an overturned garbage truck, and slightly cracked a smile. But then she hit me with the question I had feared might some up.

"So, Zip seems to be a model employee. Smart, sharp, loyal."

I nodded, I had a feeling I knew where this was going.

"So, any particular reason he's in the doghouse? He can't figure out what he did wrong."

 _Shit._ This was going to be embarrassing.

"What? What?" She moved around to follow my eyes. "What did he do to get so much monitor duty?"

"So, it's not so much what he did. It's more what he thinks."

Stephanie looked confused. "He's not a racist or something is he? He seems so nice!"

"No, no, nothing like that. You know how I went to Rutgers?"

"Yeah"

"Well, Zip grew up near here, so he's a fan of Princeton."

"OK"

"And a couple weeks ago, Princeton creamed Rutgers in Men's soccer, and I heard him mention that he'd made a big bet on them, and made a fair amount of money."

"So you made his job miserable to punish him for Rutgers losing to Princeton?"

I don't generally do sheepish, but it _was_ really childish of me. "Do you think less of me now?"

She stood up and gave me a hug. "Not at all, it just makes you seem a little more human. Batman getting petty over college sports." Then she kissed me on the forehead and got up. "I'm exhausted, I'm going to grab a shower then head to bed. I'll see you later." And she was gone, the smell of hay wafting off her as she moved.

It was 20 hours, 22 minutes and 14 seconds until I could make love to her again, and I had plans for exactly what I would do.


	50. Chapter 50 Countdown

_Recap: Stephanie brings Mary Alice to Zip's horse farm, and gets Ranger to admit that he assigned Zip to monitor duty because of a college sports rivalry. Ranger is counting the moments until he can make love to Stephanie again._

Ranger

I woke early and looked over at the mass of tangled limbs and hair that was the woman I loved. Her mouth was hanging open and I was tempted to kiss it closed. But we still had 15 hours, 37 minutes and 45 seconds until I could have her again. So instead I got into the shower and let the hot water beat away at my shoulders. Hot water is an amazing thing, and you don't really appreciate it until you go without. I _had_ gone without it far too many times in my life. I desperately hoped those days were over.

As you would expect, the day dragged on, as we were going over the last of the logistics before the rally. Construction of the scaffolding Ram would be in for the rally had already begun, but there was some worry about keeping him in place if the wind was as bad as it was forecast to be. If his sniper skills were needed, he had to be absolutely accurate, considering the threat would likely come from someone in the crowd. It looked like we might have to strap him in from multiple angles to keep him in place 30 feet in the air. That wouldn't be much of a problem, aside from him needing help to get into place and back out when they were done, but it would be an uncomfortable position to hold for hours. Still, it couldn't be helped.

Agent Mankiller pointed to a mockup of the area showing where everything would be. "We'll have entrances with metal detectors here, here, and here, staffed by off-duty TSA personnel. The gates will open 2 hours before the program starts. 20 minutes before he is scheduled to speak, POTUS will arrive here," she pointed to the space behind the scaffolding separating the crowd from the backstage area, "and wait in The Beast until 1 minute before he goes onstage."

"I'm sorry? The Beast?" Stephanie asked.

"It's a completely tricked out limo the President uses. Doors like a Boeing 474, 8 inches of armor plating, 5 inch thick bullet-proof windows, kevlar tires, insulated gas tank, spare packets of blood, oxygen tanks, you name it. It's like if you crossed a Caddy with a tank." Santos piped up. I should have known he would study the most well armored car on the road. He always had liked driving tanks back in the day. There was an incident that involved a young Santos, a bottle of tequila, a bet, and some very destructive donuts in a field that I was planning on embarassing him with on his wedding day, should he ever find a woman crazy enough to agree to a marry him.

Stephanie looked thoughtful. "I don't suppose you ever sell the used ones."

Agent Mankiller looked at her, puzzled. "I don't think so, why?"

"Just thinking it would be nice to have a car I couldn't destroy."

Stephanie

I was surprisingly nervous. Not about the job. I mean, I was nervous about the job, but that wasn't surprising. I was nervous that I was finally going to be able to sleep with Ranger again this afternoon. It was stupid. He's amazing in bed, and he loves me, and I love him. But we had only been together that one time since I said I loved him. Well, also the next morning with the amazing oral. But now I wasn't sure what I was supposed to feel. Would the sex be different? Would it become routine? I wasn't sure.

I didn't really have all that much experience with sex. Joe, Dickie, and Ranger. Joe when I was 16 had been...unsatisfying. You could even make a decent argument it was non-consensual, after all, I never said yes. He just came up to me and I was on the floor before I was really aware of what was going on. He _totally_ deserved that broken leg I gave him.

Dickie was a selfish lover, but I didn't really know enough at the time to realize that. I grew up in a community that said guys were horney and always wanted sex, and women shouldn't want it or they would be sluts. No one ever told me that I should enjoy sex for any reason other than the attention I got from men for it. It was a tool to get love, not an end in itself. Dickie did nothing to dispel that notion. At least it was generally mercifully brief, and the marriage had lasted about as long as your average carnival goldfish.

Joe as an adult was much better, but Ranger was the first man who made me feel like giving _me_ pleasure gave _him_ pleasure. That it wasn't just about him getting his rocks off. Even that first time, when it was paying off a debt, he had been gentle and caring. I'd come at least twice before he even had his pants off. And now he was mine. All mine.

I thought of that morning 4 long days ago. I thought of how how had touched me, caressed me, held me. I shivered at the memory of his fingers exploring every inch of me. Every inch. I smiled. Suddenly I knew how to show him what he meant to me, had always meant to me.

I got up from my computer and put on my jacket. "I'm going to Rite Aid, anyone need anything?" I asked, then headed for the elevator.

Ranger

2 minutes, 51 seconds: "Alright, I think we are done here. I'll see you all on Monday." Everyone else stood and chatted, but I made a beeline for the elevator.

1 minute, 45 seconds: "Ranger, I have a question about the Jones meeting next week."

"Bother me about it next week then."

1 minute, 15 seconds: I rounded the corner to Stephanie's cubical, only to see she wasn't there. "She said she was going to Rite Aid about 20 minutes ago, havn't seen her since." Zip said.

"Thanks. Oh, and after next week you're off monitor duty for at least a month."

"Thanks, man. I apprec.." The door to the staircase closed behind me, cutting him off. Rite Aid was a 3 minute walk from the office. That meant that unless she had spent more than 15 minutes there, she should already be back, and I wasn't waiting for the elevator to go up two lousy flights of stairs.

20 seconds: I fobbed my way into my apartment, glad I didn't have to worry about bothering with a key.

15 seconds: "Babe, are you in here?" "Yes Ranger, I'm in the bed."

I pulled off my gun belt and set in on the counter, and kicked off my boots, leaving them scattered across the floor in a very unmilitary manner.

1 second: I strode into my room, trying to look nonchalant. Until I saw Stephanie on the bed, wearing bright red lingerie. She was so beautiful she took my breath away.

"I thought we might try something new today, if that's OK with you." she said, smiling coquettishly.

I saw what she had gotten at the store on the bedside table. "Babe."

 _I know, I'm mean. I'll update soon. I'm also working on adding chapter titles to make it easier to navigate the story._


	51. Chapter 51 At Last

Recap: Ranger finalizes plans for the rally, Steph gets nervous about having sex again with Ranger and how to show her feelings. Ranger counts down the seconds as he goes to join her in the apartment, and finds her on the bed, dressed in red lingerie and with something on the bedside table.

Ranger

I stood still for a moment, taking in the scene, my instincts to gather information taking over.

10:00 position: Bedside table with high-quality lube poking out of a Rite-Aid bag. Box of extra lubed condoms sitting next to it.

3:00 position: The rolling suitcase I had insisted Stephanie buy so she could easily carry things with her injured arm, laid open on a chair. Several sex toys on top, including something that looked like a cross between a butt plug and anal beads.

12:00 position: Squirming brunette on the bed, wearing a red teddy and what could only be called underwear through generosity, as it was about the size of a standard tissue folded into quarters. She was laid out on her side so her butt was showing, and she had a wicked grin on her face.

6:00 position: I heard the door to the apartment softly close, and realized I hadn't shut it firmly behind myself, leaving my back exposed. A habit I had had for years. She truly drove me out of my mind. Still, I was glad I had put in a door that would close itself unless propped open. Didn't want any visitors for this.

"Babe"

Stephanie

I had a grin on my face, but I was still a little nervous inside. I mean, I wasn't just agreeing to butt stuff, I was suggesting it. Girls from the 'Burg just don't do that sort of thing unless they were trying to stay virgins until their wedding night, but were worried about their boyfriends leaving them for Joyce Barnhardt. But I had as epiphanie at my desk. I trusted Ranger. I wanted to prove that to him. And this seemed the best way to do it.

"Babe."

That damn word again. "So, Mr. Manoso, how are you feeling?"

In response his eyes turned black and he was in the bed with me in a blink. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

"Um," my courage faltered a little, "yes?"

He kissed me on my forehead, though I wanted him to kiss other places much more. "You don't sound sure."

Well, I wasn't sure. Was this insane? "I thought you would like it. I mean, you would like to, right?"

He took a slow breath. "Babe, the thought of it is nearly making me come right here and now, but I want, no, I need you to be sure first. And honestly," he actually looked sheepish, "at the moment I want you so badly I don't think it's a great idea. It needs to be done slowly, carefully, and at the moment I feel like a horney teenager."

I nodded slowly, that all made sense. And I wasn't all that surprised. I'd had some drunken conversations with Mary Lou about the backdoor, and she said it was OK as long as they went really slow and used a lot of lube. She reserved it as a treat for his birthday, or if the 76ers had a bad loss and he needed cheering up.

"However," he said, almost smiling, "I do believe I have several rounds in me. Perhaps we could start small." He picked up the toy I had gotten a week ago (was it really only a week?) and leapt panther-like on the bed with me, making me squeal in delight.

He placed a hand behind my head, looking deep into my eyes. Then he raised two fingers to his mouth and licked them, leaving them glistening in the sunlight streaming through the window. As he lowered his lips to mine, a rush went straight to my doo-dah, quickly followed by his fingers.

His tongue entered my mouth at the same time his fingers started flicking my clit. I let out a little gasp that quickly turned to a moan. He turned his fingers in little circles, each one making me wetter.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly, his voice husky and full of tension.

I nodded, hoping this wouldn't hurt.

"Get on all fours, it will make the angle easier on you."

I did as he asked, and heard him put a condom on the probe. I tried to be brave, but I really was nervous. "Let me know if I'm going too fast, or if you want me to stop, OK?"

I nodded, but bit my lip.

He lay down next to me, looking up from his prone position. "I mean it Babe, let me know if you're uncomfortable. I want to to be as good for you as it is for me. Promise me."

"OK, I promise." I felt a little better, but this was still a little scary. He grabbed the lube off the table and gently returned to his position behind me, leaving a trail of kisses as he went.

Ranger

Mierda. Oh, mierda. No puedo creer que esto esté sucediendo. (Shit. Oh shit. I can't believe this is happening.)

I drizzled the lube onto the probe until it was practically dripping, then surveyed the scene before me. Stephanie, up on all fours, her ass wiggling invitingly in front of me. Focus Manoso. Do this right, don't fuck it up. I didn't want to think about what would happen if I did.

The probe was a set of 4 balls on a rod, each one bigger than the last. It looked kind of like someone had strung up a purple snowman on a rope. I pressed the tip against her star, and she gasped. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, it's just kind of cold."

"I'll warm it up." I put some lube on my hands and rubbed them together, then coated the probe again. This time when I eased it against her she let out a little moan, but of pleasure, not pain or discomfort. Her star opened and closed, and I pushed it in a little further.

Stephanie

This wasn't so bad. In fact, if felt pretty good. Ranger was being gentle and careful, letting my body adjust. The feeling was actually just a lot like really having to go to the bathroom, until I reminded myself that it was just the probe, I wasn't going to accidentally take a shit on Ranger's bed.

Just when it felt like it was too big, he kissed my hip. "It's in, are you ready?"

I nodded and he gently turned me onto my back, his hands slick with the lube. His fingers slid up my inner thigh as his mouth sucked on my button.

I exploded in sensation as I felt him in me, on me, his hands and the probe filling me while he sucked on my clit. I gasped hard, trying to get in enough oxygen. It became even harder as his other hand rubbed against my breasts, leaving me slick and feeling like I might burst from it all. I felt the familiar build-up as I came closer and closer to the peak, then arched my back as my muscles contracted and the orgasm hit me like a freight train.

Ranger

I smiled to myself as her walls clamped down on my fingers, knowing what was about to come, or rather who was about to come. As her orgasm started I pushed myself up her body, covering it with mine, and kissed her at the same time I entered her. Between the clenching of her pussy, 4 days without sex, and the faint feel of the beads inside her I came to after only a few seconds, collapsing on top of her, barely having the energy to hold the bulk of my weight off her body.

Stephanie

Well shit. That was awesome. I attempted to say something along those lines, but it came out "Osht. Tat wasm." I think he got the idea though.

After a few minutes of just lying together he asked "Ready for round two?"

I nodded, struggling to get to my knees again. He held me around my waist and gently pulled out the probe, with each bulb I clenched and unclenched. Then he pressed himself against me, easing himself in to replace it. It was an odd feeling, not quite as good as regular sex, but when he started to rub my clit again I forgot all about that and rode him like he way a pony at the circus..

Ranger

With each thrust her muscles gripped me, holding me tight just like her embrace. As I fell into bliss, I wondered how I had ever managed to stay away from her for a moment, let alone the years it had taken us to get together.


	52. Chapter 52 The Side Job

_Recap: Stephanie and Ranger have anal sex. Light on plot, heavy on smut._

 _I'd originally planned on this being a separate story, but I havn't been updating much lately, so I thought I'd add it into this one. Halloween 2016 was a Monday (Remember that rally that is supposed to be the main plot point?), and the last scene happened on a Thursday, so I had a weekend to work with without much necessary-to-the-plot action. Enjoy :)_

Stephanie

I woke to the sun streaming in from the window, and hushed voices in the next room. I could tell they were trying not to wake me, but my curiosity got the best of me, so I eavesdropped.

"Are you sure this is the only place we can get him?"

"Yes. Anywhere else he is surrounded by armed bodyguards."

"Can we get in?"

"Depends on who we can get to accompany us. I think Lula would come, but I'm not sure who else we could persuade."

 _What the hell were they talking about? Why would they need Lula to go somewhere?_

Curiosity won out over modesty, so I stumbled out of bed and into Ranger's office next door, rubbing my eyes and trying to tame my hair. Tank and Ranger looked up, Tank's eyes immediately flying to the ceiling when he realized I was only in a t-shirt and panties.

"Hey boys. Where are you taking Lula?"

I didn't think it was possible for Ranger to blush. I mean, between the stern show-no-emotions facade and the mocha-latte skin, you wouldn't _think_ it was possible. Turns out I was wrong, and his face gained a decidedly reddish tint.

"Tank and I were discussing an outstanding FTA that will expire next week. We found out where he will be on Saturday night"

"How much is it worth?"

"Two million bond, so $200,000 to Rangeman. Plus not taking a hit to our reputation with a new client."

I was surprised. "Who in Trenton had a two million dollar bond? Have I heard of them?"

Ranger shook his head, and Tank chimed in. "He isn't from Trenton, he's a finance guy from Philly named Martin Williams."

"Martin Williams? The Market Street Madoff?" That guy was famous. Swindled a bunch of people out of their retirement savings, and had made a bundle during the crash by selling short..

Tank nodded. "He has millions stashed away, and a private jet. Hence the high bond. He also has armed guards around him at all times. They've been with him for years, so no chance of infiltrating them now. A bond agency in Philadelphia had no luck getting him, so they asked us to step in. If we catch him, we look golden. If not, we likely won't get hired by anyone there again."

"So where is he going that you need Lula to get you in?"

Tank and Ranger glanced at each other, then Tank stared at the ceiling again.

"Oh for Heaven's sake" I huffed, dashed out of the room, and came back a few seconds later with a robe on. It was Ranger's, and I practically swam in it, but Tank visibly relaxed once my legs were covered.

"As far as we can tell, there is only one place he goes where he isn't accompanied by at least 4 guards."

"Yeah, I get that. Where is it?" Why wouldn't they tell me?

Ranger turned his computer monitor to me, and I looked at the screen. It was a website for some kind of club. I scrolled down to see what was so special that they couldn't just walk in and get him. Then it struck me. Why he he went there without his guards, and why Ranger and Tank seemed so damn nervous about telling me.

"You want to do an apprehension at a swingers club?!"


	53. Chapter 53 In The Club

_Recap: Stephanie overhears Ranger and Tank discussing an apprehension that they seem reluctant to talk about. She finally drags it out of them that it needs to happen at a swinger's club._

I stared at Ranger for a second, not sure how to react. Tank, being the excellent second in command that he was, chimed in. "On a Saturday night a man can't come to that place if he isn't accompanied by a woman. They work hard to keep an even ratio, so that women feel more comfortable."

"Women feel comfortable in those places? Aren't they kind of skeezy?"

Ranger shook his head. "They are designed so women feel comfortable there. Otherwise no one would come. That's why he doesn't have his guards there, all of them are men."

"OK. That makes sense. Wait. How do you know so much?"

Ranger got a wicked grin on his face. "Do you have any idea how many nights I've been on watch with Santos? We chat."

The core team was gathered around a conference table to make plans. Tank took the lead, putting a picture of Martin Williams up on the whiteboard and explaining the plan.

"If we are going to catch this guy with no casualties, it pretty much has to be here. There's nowhere else where he isn't heavily guarded. We know he attends every Saturday night, and that his guards have the night off between 9PM and 3AM."

"Why does he let them off instead of bringing them in? Can't they hire women to join them?" Lester asked. He was on the edge of his seat, with a light in his eyes I hadn't ever seen there. Seems he was excited about this job, though I can't imagine why.

"We aren't sure, but it's probably a combination of him feeling safe in there, and not wanting his employees to watch him having sex. We only found out about it because Hector hacked his computer and discovered his RSVPs. We suspect he's using a fake ID to get in, his name is too well known to not attract attention."

"How much do we know about the layout of the club?" Ranger asked, all business.

"Not much. There's some wide-angle pictures on the website, but no map." Tank replied.

"I don't want to go into a situation without having a clear idea of the layout. We'll have to do some reconnaissance Friday night before the takedown Saturday." Ranger said sternly, though I thought I caught the corner of his lip twitching just the tiniest fraction.

"I volunteer, Boss" Lester piped up, practically jumping out of his chair. "Maps, exits, how soft the beds are…"

"Not surprised, Santos. Do you know anyone boneheaded enough to be your escort?"

Lester nodded. "I bet Marie would go with me. For a girl from the 'Burg she's surprisingly liberated."

Ranger nodded. "Tank, you said you thought you could get Lula to go with you?"

He nodded. "I can't see her being uptight about something like that. Especially if we get a real Philly Cheesesteak while we're there."

"Brown?"

"Sure. I've been seeing someone, I bet she'd be interested in coming with us."

All eyes focused on me then. Ranger took my hand and spoke to me softly. "You don't have to go, I've trusted these three with my life countless times, they can handle it."

I bit my lip in consideration. On one hand, swinger's clubs where people had sex in the open weren't the kind of places good 'Burg girls went. On the other hand, this was a LOT of money for Rangeman for just a couple night's work. And my mind drifted back to when we had made love while looking down on the people in front of the Art Museum, and in the bathroom at Tattooed Mom. How exciting it had been that other people might be able to see us. How it would feel to experience that again.

"OK" I whispered, and Ranger's face lit up with the full 200 watts.

My life is weird sometimes.

A few hours later I was looking at a plain metal door in a plain cement wall. There was nothing saying what the building was except for the initials "PGC" on the wall.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" I asked nervously.

"It's the right place, all right." said Lester, his face grinning from ear to ear. "The Pleasure Garden Club. Best club in Philly."

I looked around again. "It doesn't look like much. No sign or anything."

Lester shrugged. "These places rarely do. They don't want to attract a lot of attention from the neighbors."

I took a deep breath. "OK, let's get started."

Ranger opened the door and we all filed into a small lobby. There was a desk with two people to the right, and a doorway which led to a dance floor. I gulped nervously, feeling my courage falter. I felt Ranger's hand on my back and I felt a little bit better. I could do this.

We filled out paperwork for a moment; a liability waiver, and a promise that we were going to be offended by anything we saw. We had to show ID, which I found surprising. After a few minutes we went through the doorway, where we ran into another obstacle. A security guard was checking bags and patting people down looking for weapons.

"Shit," I whispered to Ranger, "now what do we do?"

He smiled at me. "Santos warned us about this, we're ready." He stepped up to the guard,and held his arms out. Lester stood close behind us, with Marie looking around while she waited. I was feeling nervous, I knew Ranger didn't like being without a gun. So I started to babble.

"So, does anyone actually try to bring weapons in here?" I asked, desperately hoping I sounded casual."

"Sometimes. Not to many try, since they know we check."

"What's the weirdest thing anyone has tried to bring in?"

He pondered a moment while searching my purse with a flashlight. "Got a guy once who brought in a hatchet."

My face went pale. "What?"

He nodded. "Just a little one. Maybe 6 inches long. Was some kind of combination hatchet and pocket knife. He went back to put it in his car, and it was fine. Girlfriend said he was an engineer, and he used it at work." He shook his head. "Nice couple, I think they're here tonight. Don't look so worried, they come here often. Never give any trouble. Got a cousin who's an engineer, he says they tend to carry weird shit with them all the time. One of these days he'll be packing a Tesla coil."

"What do this couple look like?" Lester asked casually.

The bouncer seemed to realize he might have said a little too much, but Lester gave one of those face-splitting grins that could disarm anyone. "I like the idea of an engineer who takes his work with him. Might be a fun couple to play with."

The bouncer shrugged. "I know they've told that story a few times, so they don't think it's a secret. The guy had dreads pulled into a ponytail, his girlfriend has brown hair and is pretty large. Thirtyish. Not the only interracial couple here, but the only one that fits that description. Go to the bar and ask for a tour, someone will show you around."

He was done patting down Ranger and Lester. Lula and Tank came up and got the same treatment. I realized that while the guys got a pat down, the women only had to hold out their jackets for him to feel the pockets, and show the inside of their purses. The 8 of us got through security and looked around.

It looked like a regular dance club, aside from the skimpy clothes many of the women were wearing. I mean, yeah, lots of women wear revealing clothes at clubs, but many of the women here were wearing lingerie. A couple were even topless.

Lula made a beeline for the bar. "I need a drink, get me in the mood for my honey."

We followed at a more sedate pace, looking around. There was an area with walls about 3 feet high cordoned off, and when I looked more closely, I realized half of it was covered in mattresses. There was also a huge bean bag chair draped with a sheet, with a couple making out on it. On the wall above the bar was a large screen with porn. It was lucky it was so dark, because I was probably blushing.

Lula was back, and huffing with indignity. "They said we had to bring our own booze! What kind of club is this?"

"Relax," Lester soothed. "I got it covered." He held up a bag he had been carrying. "I brought some beer."

We all stepped up to the bar and Lester handed the bag to the bartender, who was wearing an underbust corset and nothing but black electrical tape on her nipples. "Here's our supplies. Could we get a tour please? I brought some newbies."

"Sure Lester," the bartender replied. "Always glad to see your friends. I'll get a guide, he'll meet you at the end of the bar in a couple minutes."

We walked to the end of the bar, and I stood for a moment trying not to stare. In addition to the scantily dressed women on the dance floor there was a stripper pole that went up 15 feet, and a row of tables against a long bench. Then something caught the corner of my eye.

"Sugar!" I squealed way more loudly than I meant to. A couple of people glanced my way, and I covered my mouth.

"Would you like a snack?" A white haired man in his fifties had appeared next to our group. "We have a buffet with both desert and hot food. Grab something and then I'll start the tour."

I didn't have to be asked twice. I stepped over the a table laden with danishes, cookies, and mini cupcakes, and immediately started to feel better. When in doubt, sugar always helps.

As I nibbled on a cupcake, the man explained the rules. No touching anyone without their permission. No glass on the dancefloor, how getting a drink worked, where the towels were, and no touching anyone without their permission.

"You said that twice."

"It bears repeating."

He led us around the club. In the first room was an additional bar, plus another stripper pole, and a 7 foot tall X made of wood. A woman was stretched out on it while a man held a vibrator between her legs. She was moaning, and he was teasing her nipples with his teeth. I took in a quick gasp, and Ranger put his arm protectively around my shoulder. "Are you OK, Babe?" he whispered quietly to me. I nodded slightly, trying to figure out how I felt watching two people involved in foreplay. It was a weird sensation, it was such a non-'Burg thing to be watching, but it was also really hot, and my doo-dah was starting to tingle.

Next was a large room, maybe 20 by 40 feet. It was almost empty of people, but had some….interesting equipment. There was a small stockade, a cage, and a large wooden frame with a rope hanging down from it. There were also mattresses laid out all along one wall, for something called 'group play'.

"You hear that Beautiful?" Lester asked teasingly. "We can finally play together."

"Can it, Santos." Ranger growled in a tone that was not to be ignored.

"You can do whatever you want, as long as it's completely consensual for all parties. Aside from bring drinks past this line." The guy said in a jovial tone.

"Huh." said Lula, "Doesn't seem like much of an orgy, there's noone in here besides us."

"Give it a couple hours and it will be crawling with people crawling all over each other. We tend to get started rather late here. Come on, I saved the best for last."

We left the orgy room and were about to go down a small hallway when I noticed a shower larger than my entire bathroom. It was brightly lit and enclosed entirely in glass, in full view of the dancefloor. Not even a semblance of privacy. I could imagine myself washing my hair, lathering up, getting soapy while Ranger rubbed down my breasts and a crowd of people stood around watching. I imagined his standing behind me, his rock hard butt making every woman in the room jealous as he cupped my...

"Earth to Babe," broke me out of my fantasy. Ranger was grinning down at me, and I think Tank might have been snickering. I didn't think Tank _could_ snicker, but it had been a night of strange experiences all around.

"What? You know how much I like showering."

"Maybe later, Babe. Let's finish the tour."

We turned a corner to enter an area that had been sectioned into many small rooms. Some had themes, like the moon room that was lit with blacklights, or the jungle room painted like a rainforest. Others were just a bed with plain walls. Each room had a small window with a curtain, and the lights were on dimmer switches.

"You can have as much or as little privacy as you like. Gentlemen, you can't come back here unless accompanied by a woman or couple." our guide explained, pointing to a sign that said "no single men past this point".

There was a crowd gathered around one of the last windows. I craned my neck to see what was happening in there. I could tell from a distance that the light was bright and the curtain open in the room, so there would be a good view of whatever was happening, but I couldn't see well myself. I stood on tip-toes, and was considering asking Tank what was going on, when the crowd parted in just the right way what I could see what the couple inside were doing.

"That." I told Ranger, resolve in my voice. "I want to do that."


	54. Chapter 54 Lester

_Recap: The crew needs to do reconnaissance, so the core team goes into the swinger's club the night before they have to do the takedown. During the tour, Stephanie sees something another couple are doing, and says she wants to do the same thing._

Lester

I first met Bomber when she was desperate for cash and begged my cousin for a job. He broke the news to me the night before, when we were watching TV and drinking the one beer per astrological age he allowed to pollute his body. We were sharing an apartment at the time. He paid most of the expenses, but everything was in my name. Made it harder to track him.

"I invited someone to join us tomorrow." he said out of the blue.

"You need more muscle than the four of us can handle? How bad do you expect this to get?"

"Not muscle. I invited Vinnie's other bounty hunter."

"But I thought he died in that car...wait, do you mean the chick?"

Ranger stayed silent. But a very loud silent.

"I thought you said she was a disaster waiting to happen, and would get you killed someday?"

"She's getting better. And she needs the money."

"So ask her to polish your car. Hell, if she's as hot as you say, ask her to polish your dick."

And that's when he slapped me. Not a manly punch on the arm, or a noogie, but a full on slap. I spat out my beer indignantly. "What the fuck, cuz? What the actual fuck? I know you didn't just hit me over some girl just because you want to get your dick wet."

He actually looked as surprised as I felt. He didn't say anything, just went back to watching the game. I muttered to myself in English, Spanish, and Russian, then focused on the game too. But I kept looking at him out of the corner of my eye. I'd never seen Ranger protective of a woman before, not even his wife, not really. We all knew it was a one night stand gone wrong, and he wanted to do the honorable thing. But he never really cared about Rachel. Never cared about anyone aside from his brothers in arms. I couldn't help wondering what this chick bounty hunter would be like.

I was disappointed.

We picked her up at her apartment building at 0500, and she looked half dead. She was obviously not a morning person, and I doubted she'd had training on how to survive on little sleep. In the car she was overly chatty and incredibly naive. It seems Ranger had described our eviction job as 'interior decorating', and she had taken him seriously. She was dressed like it was casual Friday at a real estate office. She hadn't even brought a gun, and whined about the possibility of being arrested. Trust me, after being locked up in a South American jail for a week, American jail is just a nice chance to catch a nap. Still, this white girl from Trenton probably had never seen the inside of a cell, so I decided to cut her some slack and make a joke.

"Man, you don't like to get shot. You don't like to get arrested. You don't know how to have fun at all."

I think she tried to grin at that, but she looked like she was fighting off terror. Which in some ways made her braver than the rest of us. We were relaxed but alert, she was terrified. But she tromped up the stairs with us, though I'm pretty sure I heard her murmuring Hail Mary's under her breath.

The job went OK, though she was horrified that Tank might have thrown a guy out a third story window onto the street. She didn't realize we'd studied blueprints of the place, we knew exactly where the fire escape was. Tank had a little fun with her, making her think he hadn't known that. Might've been mean, but we get joy where we can.

I suppose she was a little helpful in cleaning up the place after we'd evacuated, though she was pretty squeamish. Still, having a pretty face around to look at beats _not_ having a pretty face to look at any day of the week, and she was trying.

Later that night, after the explosion that put Bomber in the hospital, Ranger and I were together. He was agitated in a way that's pretty rare for him.

"Cuz, if you don't stop pacing I'm going to nail your feet to the floor."

"Fuck off, Santos."

"Look, she's fine. Just some ringing in her ears."

He glowered at me.

"You're feeling guilty that you put her in danger, right?" His look told me I was right. "Then do something about it. You're training her, train her more. Teach her how to take care of herself. Get her to carry more often. You've trained _hundreds_ of men, how hard could one woman be?"

Little did I know.

"Running should violate the Geneva convention."

"You know it will make you a better Bounty Hunter, right? Harder for skips to get away if you're faster than them."

Bomber was on a treadmill, looking like she was about to pass out. I'd offered to bring her to a local gym while Ranger was in the wind. She had seemed reluctant, but the Santos charm can convince women to do just about anything.

"Maybe I should just stick to catching out-of-shape skips."

"No such luck, Beautiful."

"What did you call me?"

 _Shit_. I'd given her the nickname in my head, and it had slipped out. The truth is she _was_ beautiful. Odd, crazy, and attracted trouble like an ice cream truck attracts kids in July, but beautiful and spunky and full of life.

"Sorry, do you mind?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Not if I can get off this treadmill."

"Deal."

"You slept with her."

Ranger actually looked sheepish. "What's it to you?"

"I can't believe it." And I couldn't. He'd finally done it. After mooning over her for months, he'd slept with her. I struggled to keep the envy out of my voice and expression. "What was it like?"

"What do you think? It was sex. She had a guy sawed in half left on her couch, so she pushed it out into the hall. Claimed it had 'death cooties'. It was just the weirdest mixture of resilient and vulnerable, and I decided to cash in my voucher."

"She was into it, right? Like, she wasn't just doing it out of obligation?"

That earned me a dope-slap. "What kind of asshole do you think I am?"

Right. Time to change the subject. "So Abrutzi is leaving corpses in her living room. He's not going to stop. He's going to kill her."

"No, he's not. We're going to put a stop to it."

"Wet work? In Trenton? Are you sure?"

He looked at me. He was sure. I was too, I just needed him to say it.

"Let's go."

Bomber was standing on tip-toes, trying to see into a small window. In it I could see the couple the bouncer had mentioned, a large white woman and a black man with dreads behind her. It was the Sybian room, and I knew it well. It had a mechanical dildo in it that would vibrate, twirl around, or both. From what I could see, the woman was riding the dildo while her partner was fucking her in the ass and a dozen people were watching outside.

One of the cool things about swinger's clubs is that it's one of the rare places where women who aren't traditionally beautiful get to be sexy. How often do you ever see an American woman over 150 pounds or over 40 years old reveling in their sexuality? But here, everyone is sexy, young and old, fat and thin, if you want to let loose and be wild for a night, you can. And this woman in the Sybian room was. Her face was tight with ecstasy, her mouth open as she rode up and down. Her large breasts were pushed together by her arms and her head was arched back. Occasionally she looked straight out the window at the group staring at her and smiled. In the street you wouldn't look twice at her, but here? Here she was a porn star.

The guy behind her was hamming it up, showing off the box that controlled the speed and intensity of the dildo. He had a massive grin on his face, the grin of a guy who can't believe he got so lucky as to find a woman who was into this shit. His right arm was wrapped around her shoulders, making a dark chocolate stripe across the creamy white skin as he held her close.

An image flashed into my head of me holding Steph like that. Her writhing in my arms, cumming so often she couldn't tell where one orgasm ended and the next began. In front of me I could feel the heat radiating off her skin as I saw her hand reach back, not to clasp mine, but the man I was closer to than any in the world. Closer than a brother, bound by blood _and_ water. And for half a moment, I was nearly sick with grief that she wasn't mine.


	55. Chapter 55 Into the Room

_Recap: Lester explores memories of meeting and falling in love with Stephanie, and watches a couple having sex at the club_.

Ranger

"That." She told me, resolve in her voice. "I want to do that."

Stephanie's hand reached behind her and grabbed mine. I saw Santos' eyes glance at the action, then look ahead. I knew he had feelings for her. He'd had a crush on her for a long time. Luckily for both of us I wasn't jealous. If something happened to me, he would take care of her. Swinging had started in the military, men sleeping with their comrade's wives, ensuring that even if they didn't come back, there was someone to be there for the women they loved too much to be possessive of.

There was no doubt that the couple Stephanie was watching looked like they were having fun. And I decided I would be willing to do just about anything under the sun if it put that look of joy on her face.

"Sure thing Babe. Anything you want." Especially if it involved anal.

Our tour guide explained how to reserve the room, then bid us farewell. The couple inside the room was finishing up, she was carefully dismounting, he was gathering up their clothes. The crowd dispersed to play Peeping Tom elsewhere. As I went to the place where I could pay the deposit to get the Sybian room I glanced at Lester again, who was staring at Stephanie hard enough that he didn't notice me looking at him.

Marie

It had been a weird few weeks. Who would have thought that attempted shoplifting of Halloween candy would turn into an arrest, depression, meeting a great guy, and finally ending up in a swinger's club? Still, it had been a fun, wild ride, and I was really enjoying it.

I knew from the start that Stephanie and Lester had a thing for each other. I may be crappy at hiding candy, but I'm good at reading people. I went into this relationship knowing they had feelings, even if they wouldn't say it. I'll admit to a little twinge when I saw Lester staring at Stephanie with a dreamy look in his eyes, but then I shrugged internally. I had no real claim on him, we'd been dating for about two weeks and I knew from the start he was a player. Stephanie had warned me of that. I'd also seen how she and Ranger looked at each other, like they finally felt whole and at peace together. I knew a bit of their backstory, Lester and I had talked about it late one night after we were so exhausted from fucking there was nothing to do but chat. I really needed to get a TV for my bedroom.

Lester had been a tiny bit nervous when he asked me if I wanted to come with him here tonight. The truth was, it wasn't my first trip to the Pleasure Garden Club. I was always a bit of a wild child, and my dating life reflected that. The chance to go again had sounded like fun, especially when I wasn't strongly attached to anyone. I had known from the start what might happen, so when Ranger came back with his news, I knew what to do.

"I gave the deposit for the room, we just have to wait for the couple in there to finish up." he informed us as he walked back to us. "There's just one problem."

"What's that?" Stephanie asked, looking a little nervous, like she might lose her nerve if something went wrong.

"Last week the door was accidentally locked when the door closed with no one in it, and they couldn't find the key. They had to break in. So the frame is broken, and the door won't stay shut."

I knew enough from dating Lester that he always wanted the door closed and preferably locked. It had to do with having their backs covered while they were vulnerable, and I guessed Ranger would hate having sex in a room with a door that wouldn't lock, let alone close.

"I'll keep it closed for you" Lester said, not suprising me at all. I knew he would want to watch. Hell, I knew he would want to be in the room, not just standing outside holding the knob. I imagined this might be the closest he came to being with a woman he'd lusted after, and maybe loved, for years. Something passed between the eyes of the three. Some kind of understanding. So I decided not to stand in their way.

"You have fun with that. I'm going to go dance. The rest of you want to join me?" I pulled the other men we had come with (Bobby and Tank I think?) along with me.

"Hell no, I want to see this." the woman with Tank said.

"Go dancing Lula, Cluck-in-a-Bucket will be on me for the next week." Stephanie said. Seemed she didn't want Lula watching. I got the feeling they were friends, but some things are easier to do in front of strangers.

"Common, Lula" I said. "Let's go have fun on the stripper pole." And I pulled the group away, leaving Lester, Ranger, and Stephanie staring at their shoes as the door opened and the other couple walked out, grinning widely and holding each other tight.

Stephanie

The room smelled of sex. Not sweat, not body odor, not exactly. More like the sexual energy had been absorbed into the walls, and they were pulsing with it. My heartbeat jumped the moment we entered, and my doo-dah started dancing to the same rhythm. Numbly I stared around as a man came with a box of 'attachments' that all looked like disembodied penises. Ranger gently reached in and lifted the one that looked the least intimidating, a purple dildo that looked more like a funny shaped lollypop than an actual piece of anatomy. It was a lot less scary than the others. I was vaguely aware of things being cleaned, the mechanics being explained, of the bed and the wicker coffee table and the yellow walls. But mostly I was thinking of the couple in here before us, the look of bliss on her face, and that I now had the two hottest guys in Trenton with me in a small room that almost oozed sex.

"Are you sure you want to do this Babe?"

Ranger was looking into my eyes. Soft and caring and tender, but his dilated pupils betrayed his lust.

"I'm sure." I glanced at Lester. "Are you both sure it's ok for you to be in here?" Isn't there some guy code thing about, I don't know, seeing another guy's junk?" The two of them did their physic eye-contact thing.

Lester laughed softly, while Ranger gently brushed my hair away from my neck, kissing my collarbone. He whispered into my ear, "We've been watching each other's backs, and fronts, for 30 years. There's almost nothing we haven't already seen. And in here, in this room, you can have anything, anything you want, and it's OK. Do you understand?" He looked into my eyes, and I did. I did understand. I here we were safe, apart from the real world. Ranger knew I had feelings for Lester, and he was OK with that.

His fingers curled under my shirt, knuckles brushing against the soft skin of my belly. My heart pounded even faster and my nipples pebbled. I wanted him, I wanted them both. And maybe, just this once, I would have them.


	56. Chapter 56 You've been waiting for it

_Hmm, reviews seemed to be pretty split on the last chapter. I've been trying to figure out how to write this scene for months while being true to everyone's character, and for a long time was going to have it be an accidentally-ingested drug fantasy. But I decided to go with the real thing. If you don't think you'll like it, there won't be much plot, so you can skip it without missing anything vital. Enjoy :)_

 _Recap: The group gets a tour of the club, and Stephanie decides what she wants to do. Marie decides not to stand in the way and gets the others away. Stephanie and Ranger invite Lester into the room, ostensibly to hold the door closed. Ranger tells her she can do whatever she wants in there._

Stephanie

None of this seemed real. It felt like part porn scene, part dream, part hallucination. The sexual energy in the room and the two men standing so close to me made a heady mixture that I could barely wrap my thoughts around. To buy some time to think I kissed Ranger, wondering if I had gone insane. 'Burg girls didn't do this sort of thing. 'Burg girls didn't have feelings for more than one man at a time.

But who was I kidding? I had spent years loving two men, Joe and Ranger. This wasn't a new situation for me, aside from the fact that instead of rivals, these men were brothers in arms.

The events of the past couple weeks flooded my mind as Ranger's tongue explored my mouth.. Making captures and target practice with Lester, bawling my eyes out with Ranger, how much I had been turned on by fucking in semi-public areas. The blowjob in the restroom of Tattoo Moms, and the thrill of having sex while looking down at the street below. Letting go of my inhibitions had meant some of the hottest moments in my life had been in the last few days. My uptight 'Burg upbringing had brought me nothing but misery, so why should I let it control me? Besides, what happens at the Pleasure Garden Club stays at the Pleasure Garden Club, right?

I pulled away from Ranger half a step, and pulled my shirt over my head before returning to his lips.

Ranger

I'm sure some of you are asking what the hell I was thinking. What kind of man who finally gets together with the love of his life invites someone who has a crush on said love into their bed?

Someone who loves her too much to deny her anything.

Someone who cares more about her pleasure than his own jealousy.

Someone who knows forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest.

As Stephanie kissed me I could almost hear her thoughts roiling in her head. I'm sure her desires were at war with her upbringing. I gave her time to make a decision, content for the moment to be kissing her while she made her decision.

There have been a few times Lester and I shared a woman when we were deployed. Sometimes is was necessary for our safety to never be alone with someone we didn't know. Sometimes it was just convenience. It had never been someone either of us had had strong feelings for though.

When Stephanie pulled off her shirt I knew she had made her choice. She pulled me roughly to her and tugged at my belt, trying to undo the buckle. I was tempted to pull out the knife from my boot and just cut the damn thing, but I didn't want to reveal that I had managed to smuggle a weapon in. After a few seconds that felt like hours she got my pants loose and ran her hand along the black silk boxers I had made sure to wear. Lester stood back against the door, unsure of what he should do. But I noticed he had taken off his boots and jammed them against the bottom of the door, which would make it difficult to get inside as the rubber would grip the floor tighter the harder someone pressed against the door. He was making preparations if he was invited to abandon his post.

As Stephanie freed my cock from my pants I went to work on her bra. The small clips in the back seemed to have gotten bent in a way where I couldn't get them undone. I was starting to suspect the damn thing had been made by the same people who made Rubik's Cubes.

"Lester, can you help?" she said in a quiet voice. Her eyes turned towards him, a sly smile on her lips.

Lester

This wasn't happening. No way this was happening. Things like this don't just happen.

OK, so yeah, Ranger and I had actually done stuff like this together before, but that was with random pickups in far-off ports. This was _Stephaine_. The girl from the 'Burg. The one who was torn between her wild side and being the girl her mother wanted her to be. Well, the wild side certainly seemed to be winning tonight. Briefly I wondered if I'd accidentally taken absinth or LSD, but everything felt real. Weird as hell, but real.

Stephanie didn't have to issue her invitation a second time. Half a second after she had asked, I was inspecting the wayward hook. Somehow it had gotten twisted, keeping the metal in its latch. I pryed the thing open with a fingernail, then eased it free. The bra slid down her pale shoulders, and I was staring at her bare back, not sure what to do next. Ranger had his hands down her panties, making her let our soft mewls. I was about to step back when she gently grabbed my wrist and moved my hand to her breasts.

Stephanie

Joe used to watch porn sometimes when while we had sex. I generally just ignored it, but I did notice an interesting pattern. If it was two girls and a guy, they were both focused on his pleasure. If it was two guys and a girl, it was usually about humiliating her, degrading her by having her serve two men at once. Her only pleasure came from pleasing them.

That's not what it was like in real life. In real life Ranger was playing with my clit, making tiny circles that were getting me so wet I had already soaked through my panties. Lester was cupping my breast gently and kissing along my shoulder. Both men treated me like I was a cherished lover, not a whore they wanted to abuse. The FMPs I was wearing meant I was almost as tall as Lester, and not all that much shorter than Ranger. I could feel Lester's erection pushing against my butt, much like I had when he had helped me with my shooting stance not so long ago. And I could see Ranger's as well, especially considering the grip I had on it.

I figured there was no time like the present to get started. I stripped down naked and removed my shoes, then climbed onto the bed and straddled the device, hovering over the purple dong. Ranger slid behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist and holding me close. "Only do what you want. If you say stop I will" he whispered in my ear before nibbling at the shell. I nodded and bit my lip, glancing at the window directly across from me. It looked like a small crowd was gathering outside in the hall, but I couldn't see much with the glare on the window.

"Lester, can you turn down the light a bit? I want to see outside."

He stepped away to the dimmer switch, and I lowered myself down onto the vibrator. It wasn't nearly as large as an actual penis, so I slipped over it in one thrust without any pain. Ranger turned one of the knobs and I felt it swirling around inside of me, like someone rolling their head around their shoulders.

"Well this is nice but I don't see wh…..Oh my GOD!"

He'd turned the second knob. Vibration flowed through me, both internally and on my clit. My blood screamed at the sensation, and I rocked hard against the little nubs that were driving me wild.

"Fuck my ass." I managed to gasp out to Ranger, arching my back to give him a better angle.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" I wanted to have him filling me up, I wanted to be touched everywhere. I wanted my entire body to feel like this, every bit of me this wild sexual being. Lester was standing by the window, looking unsure, and I could see the faces outside, rapt with attention. Their getting turned on by me creating a feedback loop that just made me more horney. It was like my body couldn't contain the sensations flowing through it. I was vaguely aware that Ranger had entered me from behind, I could feel him pressed up against me, but this time there was no pain at all, only pleasure.

"Get over here" I told Lester, struggling to make coherent sounds as the moans tore from my throat.

He took the half step towards me. In the past 30 seconds he's taken off his clothes, though I hadn't noticed. He had a scar on his torso I'd never noticed before, and another where his leg met his hip. I grabbed his butt, holding my upper body up with my grip on it, and took his cock in my mouth.

His hands ran along my back, my hair, my breasts. Ranger panted behind me, gripping my hips and running his hands along my legs. I felt like there were a hundred hands on me, stroking me, caressing me. I was filling up with sensation like a balloon about to burst.

And then the orgasm came. Normally they are like cresting a mountain. Buildup, then a peak, then a ride down. This was like standing in the ocean, each wave hitting, and another following. I lost count of how many I had. Maybe it was one, maybe a dozen. There wasn't a good way to count. I just felt every muscle in my body clench and release as I drove myself forward down Lester's cock, and then back hard against Ranger's. I felt something hot pour down my throat as Lester shuddered, and then Ranger fall across my back, his body slick with sweat as he murmured "I love you." And then I collapsed forward on the bed, gasping for air, my body singing with the afterglow.


	57. Chapter 57 Afterglow

_Recap: Steph, Ranger, and Lester have a threesome._

Stephanie

I came to my senses with Ranger's arm still wrapped around my waist. I giggled a bit, high from the flood of endorphins coursing through my bloodstream. I managed to twist my neck enough to glance up at the small window. There were still faces pressed against it, but not as many as before. Oddly, while I was so turned on by them watching me have sex, at the moment I wanted a bit of privacy.

Lester was bent over double, arms straight and holding up his body, using the bed for support. His very fine ass was facing the window, giving some lucky women a thrill. I sent them a mental apology for the loss of that lovely view. "Lester, can you close the curtain?"

He groaned as he stood up straight, and pulled the fabric across the window, leaving just the three of us. I shifted slightly, and realized Ranger was still inside me, though I'd fallen off the dildo. I turned my head to him. "Are you OK?"

He gave me a lazy smile. "Far better than OK, Babe."

We were spooning again. Ranger still in my ass, though I don't think he was fully erect anymore. I clenched and felt him harden, but realized I had no strength for anything at the moment. I held out an arm invitingly to Lester, asking him to join us. I wasn't sure what this meant, or if it would change things, but I wouldn't treat him like he was just a walking sex toy to be discarded.

He cleared away the machinery that had been inside me a minute before, then gently lay down next to us, his face almost touching mine. I saw his eyes focus behind me head, and I bet those two were communicating something between them. I just hoped this wouldn't damage their friendship.

Lester

I can't tell you how many times I fantasized about Bomber. Let me tell you, she had certainly earned her nickname of Bombshell tonight. I would have been thrilled just to watch her, but to be a part of that? To have her take me in her mouth and suck me? Shit. I never thought it would happen. Especially after she and Ranger finally hooked up.

Ranger looked more relaxed then I have probably ever seen him. He had a gentle smile that spoke not so much of happiness as being truly content. Steph looked pretty happy as well. That was a relief. Sometimes something seems like a great idea until you actually do it. Then after the orgasm you realise what a bad idea it was. But Ranger was happy with how it had turned out, I could see that in his eyes. He shared a precious experience with the woman he loved, and the guy he'd trusted with his life more times than anyone, even Tank. He didn't meet Tank till he was an adult. We had been with each other since we were in diapers.

"So," I said, trying to keep the tone light, "Good thing we weren't trying to keep a low profile."

"Hmm?" Stephanie mumbled sleepily. "What do you mean?"

Ranger's look told me he hadn't told Stephanie. Oops.

"What do you mean?" she said, sounding much more awake and turning her head to glare at him.

 _Ah, Shit._

Ranger

 _Ah, Shit._

I had just had this absolutely amazing experience. I could feel the vibrations traveling through Stephanie's body while I was fucking her, and every time she came she clamped down harder on my dick. I was only about a third of the way in her when I came as well, It had been a struggle to keep my grip on her waist when we were both bucking like broncos, but I'd managed it.

You might ask why I was OK with Santos being there. It's a fair question. Steph was different from previous times with him after all. But giving her pleasure makes me happy, and I wanted the two of them to work out any sexual tension they had. Steph liked Lester, but she was in love with me. He wasn't going to replace me, not unless something happened that took me away from her. And in that case, I wouldn't have to worry about her going back to Morelli out of grief. Santos would comfort her, and I would know she was in good hands.

That's the noble reasons. There were others. Frankly it was freakin hot to watch her give a blowjob while I was fucking her in the ass. Sperm competition is totally a thing. Knowing your woman has been with another man means your body wants to fuck her even more, overwhelm his seed with your own. It means deeper thrusting and more powerful orgasms. It's one of the reasons cuckolding is such a common fetish.

And there were the professional reasons that I _probably_ should have explained to Stephanie, but had decided not to. In fact, I'd spent the whole hour-drive down debating if I should. And then Lester goes and spills the beans.

He is going to be on Monitor Duty for a month.

Stephanie was tensing up, something I could feel with every inch of me, including my favorite few inches that were still inside her and didn't want to be forced to make a rapid exit. That wouldn't be fun for either of us. Time to fess up.

"We realized we might have an easier time catching Martin Williams if we got a reputation for being wild. With only one night ahead of time to make a reputation, going big, in a public way, was the best way to do that. If we can get him to go willingly with us to somewhere near an exit, it will be much easier than trying to drag him through the club kicking and screaming."

"OK, that makes sense, but why the hell didn't you tell me? Did the other's know? Is that why you…." Her voice trailed off

"It's not why we are in this room, it's not why Lester is in this room. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to feel any pressure. I only wanted you thinking about this, not making the capture. It's just a coincidence what _you_ wanted to do will be useful tomorrow. I imagine the others know from discussing in the car on the way down."

Getting four Rangeman employees and four dates into one vehicle wasn't practical with anything smaller than a 15 passenger van, so Stephanie and I had taken the Porche down, while the others rode in an SUV. I should have known this would become a topic of conversation.

I felt Steph relax against me. Looked like I'd avoided the doghouse, at least for the moment.

"How much longer do we have the room?"

I looked at my watch. "15 minutes. Do you want to leave or relax for a bit?"

"Relax" she said, snuggling against me. "I still can't really move."

You know what they say, a sated Babe is a happy Babe. I hoped that Tank had been able to keep Lula occupied. I wouldn't be surprised if they were in another room breaking some of the furnishings.

But I was still putting Lester on Monitor Duty.


	58. Chapter 58 Exit Stratagy

_Recap: Ranger, Steph, and Lester bask in afterglow. Lester reveals that being conspicuous on Friday might make the Saturday capture easier._

Tank

I had been a little surprised that Stephanie and Ranger had invited Lester into the room with them, but there are two things that will make men truly close. Knowing each other since birth, and knowing each other while risking death. I had one, Lester had both. Lester obviously had a crush on Bomber, but I hadn't known she harbored any feelings herself.

Maria coaxed the 5 of us away from the room Lester, Ranger, and Bomber had gone into. Lula didn't want to go, unsurprisingly. She kept trying to get back to the window and look inside. I figured Stephanie might prefer to not have _everyone_ in Trenton know what she was up to, so I decided to come to the rescue.

I whispered in Lula's ear "It has been forever since we went out dancing. Would you do me the honor?" I held out my arm in a Gentlemanly manner. Luckily she took it, and we walked to the dancefloor a couple rooms away, and I wrapped my arms around her. Bobby and his date, whose name I hadn't caught, were doing the same nearby. Maria seemed to have disappeared.

Lula and I had dated a while back, but it hadn't worked out. Technically we had broken up because she was allergic to my cats, but beyond that, she was just barreling along way too fast for me. Somehow we had gotten engaged, but I had no memory of it. I just woke up one day and she had on a ring and was planning a wedding. Eventually it was obvious that she had bought it herself and told me I had proposed, but I was in so much shock it didn't occur to me immediately.

Even once I had figured it out, I still had a real dilemma. Breaking off the 'engagement' would probably end the relationship, and it had been a while since I'd had one. Most women found me intimidating just because of my size. Add to that the security guard demeanor necessary for the job, and the rest of them stayed away. None of that bothered Lula, she just barged ahead to get what she wanted, and what she wanted was me. So I'd wavered, trying to decide if maybe I did want marriage. I decided to try it out, the whole domestic thing, and got some cats.

Turns out Lula is allergic to cats, but I bonded with them almost instantly. She wasn't willing to live with them, I wasn't willing to give them up. So the relationship ended. But we still had feelings for each other, and it was nice to sway on the dancefloor to Bon Jovi belting out _I want to laaaaaay you down on a bed of roses, for tonight I sleep on a bed of naaaaaaails._

Lula's large breasts were pressed against my chest and I rested my chin on her head. My eyes still darted around, taking in our surroundings. It was a habit most of us had so ingrained in us that we would do it lying in a hospital on our deathbed. Motion at the corner of my eye caught my attention, the buffet food was being switched out, and my stomach rumbled at the sight of fresh chafing dishes being displayed.

"Hungry?" I asked, ever the chatterbox.

Lula glanced over at the steaming trays. "Oh, they have eggs and bacon and hashbrowns! I love bacon and eggs and hashbrowns."

She barreled her way to the serving trays, clearing a path with her voice. "Coming through, Lula needs bacon!"

I followed in her wake, somehow less effective at clearing a path despite being a foot taller. She was loading up a plate by the time I got there, piled high with fresh breakfast food. I got my own, then sat down next to her at the bench seat against the wall.

"Excuse me, do you have the time?" A sweet voice asked. The couple we had watched through the window, the black guy with dreadlocks and his white girlfriend, were settling down at the table next to us. I gave the guy _the nod_ , then glanced at my watch.

"Three minutes past balls" I said, forgetting to translate into civilian time.

The guy nodded, the girl rolled her eyes while smiling widely. "One of these days, I'm going to meet someone who just says 'twelve-o-three' like a normal person. That's what I get for forgetting to put on a watch since I have to leave my phone in the car. You'd think I would have learned by now."

"Do you come here often?" I can't believe I said that. It sounded like a stupid pickup line. Especially awkward since I'd already seen this girl naked and having sex with both a man and a machine at the same time.

She nodded. "Anytime we're in town. It's our favorite. Especially the Sybian room."

It's a good thing that we were in the dark, and that I have such dark skin, because otherwise I'm sure she would have seen me blush.

"Yeah, we caught the early show, though Tanky here wouldn't let us watch the main attraction."

I wasn't sure I wanted to get into that conversation, but talking to someone who knew the place well could provide some information, provided it was framed right. "So what would happen if there was a fire in this place? It's dark and a bit maze-like. How would we get out?"

"There's a couple exits." the guy said. "Used to fight fires in the Navy, so I keep an eye out for them. The room with the 30 feet of mattresses in a row? There's a door there that leads to a parking lot, though I havn't tested to see if it's locked. And you see that door beyond the second bar?" he said while pointing behind him. "That goes to a sex shop. You can buy toys or extra condoms or lube, that kind of stuff. But it's open to the outside. If you're in the private rooms I think there's just the way you'd usually go to the main door, unless one of the utility rooms has an outdoor exit I don't know about."

I nodded. Useful information. I looked in the direction he was pointing, and saw Marie sitting with a couple, her hand on the woman's leg. Seemed she'd made friends.

"Is the sex store just for people from the club?" I asked, hoping it wasn't.

"No, anyone can go, but you do get a discount if you come from the club. And the clerks have to buzz you back in, though once some guy followed us. I'm assuming his mind was blown once he saw the dancefloor."

And with that, a plan formed in my head. I knew how we would do the takedown.


	59. Chapter 59 On the Prowl

_Recap: Tank and Lula dance, Marie flirts with another couple, and Tank forms a plan for the next night._

Stephanie

I was surrounded on all sides by hot, sweaty, muscular men. Testosterone filled the air, and I could almost hear their heartbeats racing.

Sadly, it was because I was in a surveillance van, rather than the far more interesting activities of the previous night. The van would have been cosy if it had been filled with normal people, but with me, Ranger, Tank, Lester, Bobby, Silvo, and Hector all in a rolling metal box, I was starting to have real sympathy for anchovies. Nothing smaller than a school bus would have been comfortable. Lula, Marie, and Bobby's date had decided to stand outside rather than face the wall of male flesh, which I could sympathize with, but they _were_ missing out on a great view. Cal and Hal were with them, also having declined to get in touch with their inner pizza topping. We were a couple blocks away from the club so we wouldn't get picked up on any security cameras they had, and so we could talk freely without worrying about being overheard.

"Tank, go over the plan one more time." Ranger barked. I rolled my eyes. We had gone over it half a dozen times in the conference room earlier today, and again in the SUV on the way down here. But there was no use in complaining.

"Silvo stays in the van near the back monitoring communications while the eight of us enter the club and keep an eye out for Williams. Hector stays in the SUV near the entrance to the sex shop. Cal and Hal will enter the store once Silvo tells them we are on our way there. All four couples will take turns hitting on Williams until he takes interest in one, making sure to space out their time and to act as natural as possible. We don't want him to get suspicious, but we also don't know his tastes and what he'll go for."

Lester pulled out a brown paper grocery bag from behind a console.. "Ladies, pretend to be tipsy enough to go for anything. And if we need a quick distraction, fake tripping on something might get his eyes away from whoever is coming up behind him." He pulled out four bottles, two Jack Daniels, two Captain Morgan's. "These have iced tea in them, get them mixed with something at the the bar so they don't smell odd. That way you can look like you are knocking them back without losing your edge."

"Lester, how many booze bottles do you generally have at your apartment?" Marie asked, looking like she might be worried she was dating a lush.

"Just a couple! I got some new ones and poured the alcohol into various containers. Didn't want to waste it. But if Ella goes into my apartment to clean, she might get knocked out by the fumes. I ran out of closable tupperware, ended up putting it into all my pots and pans. The place will smell like a bar for weeks."

"Focus." Ranger said, reverting to his standard single-word commands.

"We have a decent mix in appearance. His wife has brown hair, so that may be his type. Stephanie and Susan match that description."

 _Susan!_ That was her name.

"Stephanie looks, ummmm" Tank was struggling a bit with how to describe my outfit.

"Wholesome but slutty?" I suggested, as I swear he turned a shade darker. Could Tank really blush?

"Right." he agreed, averting his eyes from the red teddy I was wearing. I was trying to copy the outfits I'd seen the night before, and this seemed to fit the bill. I'd considered the crotchless one I'd worn with Ranger in the shower in King of Prussia when I was recreating the time he'd come to rescue me, but had chickened out. Also, it seems we had done some damage to it, as it had a few more holes than it had started out with.

"And I fit the bill if he has kinkier tastes." Susan spoke up from outside the van. She was dressed like a dominatrix, with a leather bustier, a riding crop, and spiky boots that might violate the club's no-weapons policy. She would have looked similar to me if she had been in casual clothes, but at the moment she looked terrifying in a way I never could, unless you count first thing in the morning before I'd had coffee or brushed my hair.

"I bet he likes big, beautiful black woman. Those skinny guys always go for BBBWs like me." Lula said with her usual confidence. She was once again testing the very limits of spandex, a few inches shorter than she usually wore it. This meant her outfit looked like she was wearing very stretchy ribbons more than clothes.

"And Marie covers the blonds and redheads." Lester said, grinning at her strawberry blonde hair. I was a little surprised she had come with us again, but here she was.

When she had shown up to the meeting this morning I'd pulled her away to try to explain that I wasn't a threat to her and Lester, or at least that's what I tried to say before breaking out in a babble worth of my brother-in-law.

After 30 embarrassing seconds she put a hand on my arm. "Stephanie, it's alright. You warned me before I went out with him that he was a player. I knew you both had feelings for each other. Lester is fun, but I'm not planning on spending the rest of my life with him. It was something that obviously needed to happen, and now it has. But we need to catch this asshole Williams, and me being there makes that easier."

I wasn't sure I would have reacted nearly as well if I had been her. No, scratch that, I _knew_ I wouldn't have reacted that well if Ranger had been in that room with another woman. On the other hand, if I had only known Ranger a couple of weeks, maybe I wouldn't have minded that much.

With all the plans finalized, did a sound check on the wires all of us were wearing, then we piled back into the cars and drove to the club. Cal, Hal, and Silvo muttered a bit about not getting to go into the club. Hector presumably didn't care much. I'd seen a lot of women who were playing with other women, but no men playing with other men. There wouldn't be nearly as much for him to look at.

We arrived in a couple of minutes, and for the second time in 24 hours I stood in front of the plain entrance, ready to enter the dark club. The parking lot was more full than the night before, and I started to get excited. I just wasn't sure if it was nerves, or the thrill of the hunt that was coming. Ranger opened the door, and I stepped in.


	60. Chapter 60 Two Down

_Recap: The team gets ready to go into the club and take down their target_

Stephanie

The club was far more crowded than it had been the night before, even though we were there earlier. People were also more dressed up, and there was a stronger air of pheromones. It was obvious that Fridays were for fun and relaxation, Saturdays were when the serious stuff happened.

We went through the check in procedure again, though there were different people at the desk tonight. This time I noticed the ID that Ranger handed over. As a guy, his clothes had pockets, and mind didn't, so he had my wallet. But it wasn't my normal driver's licence, and what he handed over for himself said 'Marc Pardo'. I couldn't see mine well enough to see the name, only that it was a different picture. When the woman at the counter handed them back, I snagged them, looking as nonchalant as I could about it. Ranger raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. We moved to the line for the weapons check, and I looked down at them. I knew Marc Pardo was one of Ranger's aliases, what I didn't know was that he had made one for me using my employee picture. It was a much better photo than the one on my driver's licence, due to me not spending 2 hours at the DMV before taking it. But it was the name that caught my attention.

"I'll explain later" Ranger whispered in my ear as we stepped up to the bouncer, and I managed to not mention it in front of the guy who was checking for weapons. It was the same one we had seen the night before.

"Back again?" He asked, smiling at me while he patted down Ranger.

"Yup. Had such a good time last night we wanted to come again. Um, I mean, enter again. I mean, shit." I was babbling again. Not that it would be a bad idea to distract him. I couldn't imagine Ranger didn't have at least one weapon on him, especially with a takedown tonight.

The bouncer smiled. "Glad you enjoyed yourself."

He didn't frisk me. My outfit wasn't leaving much to the imagination. So he didn't notice the tiny Semmerling LM4 tucked under my breast, hidden by some padding stuffed into the large cups. I hadn't been aware there was a way to make an underwire even more uncomfortable, but apparently there was.

The gun was about the size of an index card, and I couldn't believe Ranger could even get his hand into it. Luckily he wouldn't have to be accurate. In a space with this many people, flashing lights, and gyrating dancers it could only be used in extremely close proximity. It was unlikely we would even need it. We had a lot of muscle to take down Williams, who was just about as muscular as you would expect a hedge fund guy to be. Probably couldn't do any exercise more demanding than golfing with a cart and a caddy.

Bobby and Susan were behind us, and as we got waved in, I saw the bouncer peering with a flashlight into her 'bag of tricks', as she's referred to it. It was sex toys, all perfectly natural to have in a club like this. I pulled Ranger into the large room with the mattresses. Much like the night before, it was empty this early in the night.

"Why does my ID say Stephanie Pardo?"

Ranger

 _Shit_.

"Security, Babe. Didn't want a record of you here, in case anyone realized that we were kidnapping a guest, even though it's legal. Places can get picky about that."

"Why would we care?"

I saw some motion in the corner of my eye, so I pulled her close to me and kissed her, keeping my eyes on the tour guide showing around the new couple. They looked around for about 30 seconds while I deepened the kiss, then carefully reached between her breasts and snagged the tiny gun there. As the other people left, I tucked the weapon into the inner pocket of my suit jacket, and immediately felt much better. I felt more naked without a gun than I did without clothes, even though this tiny gun was moke like dressing in a Borat-style swimsuit than my prefered black shirt and cargo pants.

"Ranger? Why would we care what they think of us here? We have the paperwork for the capture."

She hadn't forgotten her question. I would bet that she hadn't forgotten the other one either.

"Well, I was hoping you might want to come back here, or a place like it, and if our names aren't in a computer that would be easier. They can only remember faces for so long, and cameras aren't welcome in a place like this."

"That explains why you wanted us to use fake IDs. Not why you have one with me as your wife in Miami."

 _Shit shit shit. How much to tell her?_

Stephanie

Ranger seemed to ponder for half a second before checking the door again and whispering to me. "Ever since you started getting death threats when you were chasing Abrutzi I've known there was a possibility of you being targeted by the wrong person. There was always the chance that at some point there would be someone even I couldn't protect you from. And in that case, you would need to run. You would need money and papers, and you would need them quickly. So I had Silvo make you an ID you could use to travel. If we were presenting as a married couple we would be less memorable."

"So you were what, going to spirit me to Miami and drop me off there?"

"No. I was going to run with you."

That stunned me for a moment. He had thought of every contingency, and was willing to drop his life, his business and his reputation, to keep me safe.

"There were times I fantasized about running off with you. Back when you were with the cop. Something making you turn to me to keep you safe, and we would ride off into the sunset together."

There was something so caring, and so _Ranger_ about what he was saying, I wrapped my arms around him again.

"Now, now kids. No funny stuff tonight. We have work to do."

I looked up to see Lester, Marie, Lula, Tank, Bobby and Susan had joined us. Lester has a large grin on his face, as usual. Tank looked stoic. The others had a variety of expressions ranging from nervous to excited.

Susan set her bag on a table and pulled out 5 sets of handcuffs, each with a fuzzy sleeve made by Ella while we had hashed out our plan. The easiest way to sneak in cuffs had been to do it in plain sight. The fuzzy fabric hid that they were regulation strength, and if we played it right we could cuff Williams without him realizing that was what had happened until it was too late. It had seemed safer for Susan dressed as a dominatrix to carry all 5 sets than each of us have one, so she'd .put them in among her lube and ball gags and whatever else she had in there. We hadn't wanted to push the boundaries of credulity, so only those of us who were used to cuffing people had some.

We had just gotten everyone geared up when our earpieces crackled to life. Silvo's voice whispered to all of us. "Just heard from Binkie and Zip, Williams has been spotted leaving his house. ETA is 10 minutes."

Ranger tapped a wire behind his ear. "Roger that, we'll get into position. Over and out."

It was showtime.

Tank

Lula and I went back out to the room with the dance floor and grabbed a table where we could see both bars. She went to the buffet to grab something to eat, and I went into scan mode. I was hoping one of the other groups would attract William's attention. Lula simply wasn't predictable, and she got carried away easily. My hope was that it would be Ranger and Stephanie, since she had more experience taking down an FTA than many of the Rangeman guys, and certainly more than all the other dates we had brought.

Lula was trying to get me to try some kind of creamy pasta and shrimp dish when I heard a familiar voice.

"Fancy meeting you here again! I guess you feel safe now that you know where the fire exits are?"

It was the couple from last night. I couldn't remember their names, except that they both began with N.

"Um, yeah. We had a lot of fun last night. Wanted to come back."

Both of them sat down at the table next to us, and proceeded to chat. Lula kept up my end of the conversation, so I just had to nod occasionally. I was keeping a close watch on the door without appearing to do so, a trick security people learn early on. It's easier to do in sunglasses, but the room was no brighter than a moonlit night, and I would have looked ridiculous trying to pull off that look in here.

12 minutes after we had been given the warning, Williams walked into the room. He had his wife with him, who looked about 20 years younger than his 45. She would have been in high school when he had made his millions fleecing old people.

I was about to get up when the woman next to me said "Honey, isn't that Martin Williams?"

 _Shit. Might have to head off any civilian interference._

"Who?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"Martin Williams. Philly's own cross between Pharma Bro and Bernie Madoff."

I pretended to look at him nonchalantly, while in fact staring intensely and forming a plan to keep these people away from him. The woman looked like she might want to get up and give him a piece of her mind, and he might leave if he knew he was recognized. Time to distract them. Maybe small talk would keep them occupied.

"You said you were in the Navy, I was an Army Ranger. Where did you serve?"

Marie

Lester and I were sitting at some small bar tables watching the entrance when he came in. Williams wasn't a bad looking fellow, despite his nasty crimes. I watched him go to the bar, then took a deep breath, pushed my revolution to the back of my mind, and got off my stool.

Lester was three steps behind me as I walked up to the bartender. Far enough it wasn't obvious we were together, close enough he could be there in half a second if something went wrong. I stood close enough to Williams that my arm brushed against his as I gave my order. "Rum and Diet Coke please. Bottle number 42."

As the bartender went to make my drink, I casually leaned over to Williams. And then my mind went blank. How did one flirt with a person you hated? 'Come here often' sounded trite. Nothing better came to mind. He was looking at me, and I had to say something.

"Um, you smell good. What's your aftershave?":

He gave me a look that I probably deserved after so lousy a pickup line. "I don't use any aftershave. You might be smelling my body wash."

"Oh, really? What's it called? I might want to pick some up. It smells lovely."

Williams looked me over in a way that almost made my blood run cold. It's cliche, but he was evaluating me like I was a piece of meat, and apparently one he didn't find appetizing. He especially looked contemptuous of my outfit which yes, I'd gotten off the clearance rack at Target, and some of the stitching was a little uneven, but _I_ thought I looked nice. He didn't agree though.

"Trust me, you couldn't afford it." he said with disdain in his voice.

At that point the blessed bartender came back with my drink, and I was able to scurry away to avoid more humiliation. Lester hurried after me, following along until I'd gotten out of sight of the wretched man.

"Are you OK Honey?" he asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me to him.

I threw back my glass and took a big gulp before I realized that it 1) wasn't alcoholic and 2) Diet Coke and iced tea was a strange taste combination. I grimaced at it, then looked at Lester. He looked genuinely concerned about my feelings. His eyes were soft and searching. This man really did care about me, something I hadn't been completely sure of after last night. But he did. He had let his target out of his sight to make sure I was OK.

"I'll be alright. But I'm looking forward to arresting this asshole. Can I kick him once he's in handcuffs?"

"It's generally considered bad form to abuse the FTAs once they're in custody, but if you happen to _accidentally_ trip him, I won't tell."

I smiled at him, and he kissed me on the top of my head. Then he tapped the wire to broadcast. "Marie and I struck out, and Tank seems to be stuck keeping civilians occupied. Ranger, Stephanie, Bobby, and Susan? It's up to you."


	61. Chapter 61 The scent of Bvlgari

_Recap: Tank and Lula are stuck keeping civilians away from their target, Marie approaches their quarry, but he rejects her based on her cheap clothes._

 _Short chapter tonight, but this felt like the right place to put a cliffhanger. I'll update again soon._

Susan

I started dating Bobby a few months ago, when we had both been attending a medical conference in New York. We met at lunch one day, and discovered we were both eating the same kind of sandwich, a tuna hoagie. We started chatting, and the next thing we knew we were seeing each other a couple times a week. At first we mostly chatted about medical stuff, as most doctors do, but we really liked each other's company, and it quickly got pretty personal.

There can be a lot of hardship involved in losing patients you were operating on. I was a trauma surgeon, he was a battlefield medic. Both of us had lost our fair share. There's a bond that forms when you can share an experience like that with someone. People say doctors think we are gods. The truth is there isn't a good way to avoid feeling that when your actions dictate if someone will live or die. That is, until you can't save them, and then you realize that you are just a mere mortal, and sometimes you can't do a damn thing.

When Bobby had asked me to join him for this stakeout, at first I thought he was kidding. Then I thought he was just making an excuse to bring me here. But once he'd explained the situation, I was glad to come. It would be nice to get out and stretch my wings, as it were. Plus, I had some fun outfits in my closet I was itching to try out.

The night before we had had a great time. Once the group had split up, Bobby and I had gone back to one of the private rooms and I'd had my wicked way with him. Not that he'd complained. Of course, the ball gag might have been responsible for the not-complaining part.

Tonight was all business though, we had a scumbag to get off the streets. Bobby and I were chatting when we saw Stephanie and Ranger split up. Then she shouted something we could only see, not hear, over the pounding music.

Stephanie

Ranger and I were standing in a corner, watching Marie attempt to seduce Williams. The look of contempt on his face was palpable, and I felt really bad for her as she scurried off, Lester racing after her. I started to hate the guy even more, and I wondered how I was going to hide it enough to act like I was attracted to him. Of course, we didn't even know if he would be interested in _me_. The guy was a billionaire, he could afford to be picky. It's too bad I wasn't as sexy as Ranger. Every woman who was post-puberty with a pulse thought he was hot. I assume lesbians would be an exception, but even if they didn't want to sleep with him, I bet they'de agree he was damn good looking.

That gave me as idea. I whispered in Ranger's ear "Hit on his wife. Maybe you'll have more luck with her than Marie did with him." He nodded, and when she went to the buffet, he followed her, looking like sex liquefied and poured into a suit.

I was bobbing around, trying to see how he was doing, when the corner of the table caught on my fishnet stockings. It yanked the clips on my garter belt against the fabric, and tore a few of the strands.

"Shit" I said to noone in particular, a little more loudly than I meant to. It caught Susan's attention from a few feet away. She and Bobby came over to me to see what was wrong.

"Are you OK?" Susan asked.

"Yeah, but I need to re-attach these." I put my foot on a chair and struggled to open the jammed clips. Susan bent down to help me, while Bobby tried to stay out of the way of the precious little light coming from the dance floor. I was relieved when I smelled the familiar scent of Bvlgari Green Tea behind me. Feeling playful, I pitched my voice low and said in my best sex kitten imitation "Hey sexy, think you could help me with these?"

"Abso-fucking-lutely." said a nasal voice with a think Philly accent, not Cuban. I turned my head and saw Martin Williams, the Market Street Madoff, reaching down to adjust my stockings.

 _Fuck_.


	62. Chapter 62 The Takedown

_Recap: Backstory on Susan, and Stephanie tears her fishnets and garter. She smells Bvlgari behind her and assumes it's Ranger, only to find out it's Williams._

Stephanie

 _OK, play it cool. You wanted him? Now he's here. Play along._

"Why thank you." I said in as seductive a voice as I could muster. I hope it came out as a purr and not a squeak, but I'm not sure.

Williams reached down and worked with the clip, trying to open it up so the jammed-in strands would come loose. I turned my head to my other side, adjusting my garter and trying not to let my feeling of revulsion show.

Suddenly I felt a slight pain in my leg. I gasped, and turned to look. Williams had accidentally scratched me while fiddling with the clip. It wasn't anything really, no more than accidentally scratching a mosquito bite too hard, but the faintest trace of blood beaded on my skin.

"Get your hands off her!" boomed a voice, and there was a whistle through the air.

Susan

I could tell Stephanie was uncomfortable, Williams couldn't see her face, but I could. She was unhappy, but trying to hide her emotions. This was exactly what we wanted, for him to become interested in one of us, and if it was Stephaine, so much the better. She was used to taking down men on her own, I usually had an anesthesiologist do it for me by the time I entered the operating theatre.

But the urge to protect is strong in a doctor, and when he nicked her with a fingernail while digging around he drew blood. It didn't matter that I deal with gunshots a few times a week, and occasionally detached limbs, it still made me mad to see her hurt. She was wearing a light kimono to cover the bruises on her arm, but I'd seen them when she was getting ready in the van. She didn't need this creep touching her and scratching her up as well. All that went through my mind in a fraction of a second, and I took my riding crop and smacked him on the arm hard enough to raise a welt.

"Get your hands off her!" I bellowed at him.

Stephanie and Bobby looked at me, horrified. I felt terrible, had I just ruined our chances? If we had to drag him out of here forcefully someone might get hurt trying to prevent us from 'kidnapping' him. If we waited until he left on his own his armed guards might be there to pick him up. _Shit, shit, shit._ I might have just lost a boatload of money for Rangeman, and risked this asshole escaping. All because I couldn't overlook an injury that would be forgotten in minutes.

"I'm sorry mistress." came a quiet voice. Williams had his hands folded in front of his stomach, his head down. It was a very submissive pose. But something else was looking up. Through his pants I could see a bulge starting to grow. Seems we'd found his type, and it was me.

Ranger

I followed Natasha Williams to the buffet, trying to remember how to flirt with someone I didn't know. Stephanie seemed to think I just smiled at women and they fell into my lap. That did happened sometimes, but not reliably enough to take it for granted in a high stakes situation like this. It had been a long time since I'd tried to pick up a woman in a bar, ever since meeting Stephanie casual sex hadn't held much interest for me. I was out of practice.

"Hi there." That seemed a decent start.

"Hello."

 _Shit. Now what. Shoes, women cared about shoes, right?_

"Nice shoes. Where did you get them?"

She raised an eyebrow at me. I needed to step my game up. I'd read the file on her, but we'd had precious little information. This job had come up so quickly we hadn't been able to do more that a cursory background check on her, and so we had nothing before she came to the US 2 years ago. She was Eastern European, and had no record of anything criminal. She married Williams a few days after coming to this country, so presumable they had met overseas and gotten engaged there.

She looked past me at the food sitting in the chafing dishes, grimacing a little. "Don't zey have anything healthy here?"

I looked at them too. "Seems not, I'm glad I had a salad before I came here."

She nodded. "My husband doesn't care at all about what he eats, it's a struggle to even get him to take a vitamin."

"Try gummy vitamins. Maybe he'll eat them if it feels like candy."

"I'm sorry, my English is not perfect. Gum-my?"

"Vitamins that are easily chewed and taste sweet. I don't like how they taste, but my girlfriend does. She lives on meatball subs and Boston Creme Donuts, I've no idea how she does it."

She smiled at me. I had to get used to referring to Stephanie as my 'girlfriend' to someone who didn't know us both. It seemed we were so much more than that, but I didn't have a better word. 'Love of my life whom I don't deserve and have killed to protect' seemed a bit of a mouthful.

"I try to eat healthy, but getting Martin to do the same? It is like, what is word?" She mimed using a tool in her mouth.

"Pulling teeth?" I suggested.

"Ah, yes. Pulling teeth. It is pizza and fried chicken for every meal."

I nodded. "Americans. Food is so abundant they forget what it is for."

She looked at me. "Are you not American?"

"I am. But my parents were immigrants. They grew up with scarcity, and taught me to never take anything for granted. They told me many stories over the years of what it was like to not have enough."

She nodded solemnly. "It can be difficult to come to another country, leave everything behind, even if you know it is best for you and your family. I send money home to my parents, they are too old to work anymore."

I seemed to be getting through to her. Maybe I remembered how to do this after all. _Make the connection with her, let her see what you have in common_. "It's a brave thing to do. My parents were newlyweds when they came here. They wanted a better life for their children. Later they brought over my grandparents, but they landed in Miami with nothing but the clothes on their back, and me growing inside my _madre_."

She smiled softly at me. I was getting through to her. "Then you are immigrant too, just, much smaller." Her smile really was lovely. Not as lovely as Stephanie's, but I could see why Williams had brought this woman halfway around the world to be with her.

Susan

This was working out better than we could have hoped. Seems Martin Williams wanted a dominatrix. We might be able to tie him up without a fight.

He was staring at the floor. Well, his head was staring at the floor. His Mr. Happy was pointed right up to the ceiling.

"Get down on all fours and apologize for hurting her." I barked. Let's see how far I could take this.

He immediately dropped to his knees, kissing Stephanie's leg. "I'm so sorry. I beg your forgiveness for marking your flawless skin."

Perfect. I whacked him on the ass with my crop. Not hard, but enough to let him know I was there. He let out a moan that was part pain and part pleasure.

"And what will you do it make it up to her?"

"Anything, anything." he pleaded. Perfect.

Plan A was to get him into the adjoining sex shop, where some of Bobby's friends could meet us and help drag him away. So, the best course of action was to move him there, preferably already trussed up.

"You're going to replace her ripped stockings. And then you are going to get on your knees and eat her out until she has come at least twice." Stephanie looked at me horrified, but I kept going. "And then, if you do a very, very good job, I will tie you to a bed and ride you like the filthy little man-whore you are."

He nodded vigorously, giving me enough time to send Stephanie a comforting look. She wasn't happy, but she would follow my lead. I lifted my crop, subtly tapping the wire behind my ear to turn on the transmitter.

"Get up, you have some shopping to do. And put your hands behind your back, you lost the privilege of using them when you marred her flesh. You've also lost the privilege of talking, since your voice is annoying."

He put his hands behind his back, and I snapped some fur-covered cuffs over his wrists. He struggled to stand up without them, so I yanked on his collar to get him verticle. Then I stuffed the ball gag in his mouth and cinched the straps closed. He had a huge grin on his face, which made me feel relieved. As long as he looked happy, we could walk through the crowd and no one would bother us. I pointed him in the right direction and smacked his ass with the palm of my hand, starting the journey that should land him in a cell within the hour.

Hal

Some jobs suck. Some are awesome. And then there are the jobs that are _really_ awesome but you get stuck outside doing the sucky part. This was one of those jobs.

I looked at Cal, who was watching the monitors. No idea why, we only had audio on this job, maybe it was just habit. Cal is a little awkward around people. Not sure if the skull tatoo is a symptom or a cause of that, but it's true.

Our radio crackled to life, and a voice I only vaguely recognized came through. "Get up, you have some shopping to do. And put your hands behind your back, you lost the privilege of using them when you marred her flesh."

Cal nodded to me, and the two of us climbed out of the van, trying to look natural in case there were cameras pointed at the parking lot.

Stephanie

I really hoped this worked. If we could get him into the shop, then I wouldn't have to think about him touching me. It had been so meaningful when it was Ranger, and even Lester. Men whom I trusted with my life on a regular basis. Williams was just a scumbag in a suit. I'd trusted Susan when she laid out the plan, but I hoped to high heaven we didn't have to go anywhere past him buying me stockings.

I followed the two of them as they entered the hallway to the store. Bobby was next to me. It felt odd to have him instead of Ranger, but he was keeping Mrs. Williams occupied. When we had started to move, he had turned his body so she would be looking away from us. We didn't know enough about her to know how she would react to seeing her husband being smacked along like a pony while in handcuffs. Luckily she was talking with the hottest guy on the planet, so she should stay distracted.

I had been a little surprised that a powerful finance guy would be into humiliation and being dominated, but the conversation I had had with Lula last week (was it really only last week?) sprung to my mind.

"on my corner, it was the gang leaders that wanted you to tie them up and sit on them way more than the low-down members. Sex is about fantasy, and you fantasize about what your life _isn't_ , not what it _is_."

Maybe it made sense that the powerful man with bodyguards and more millions than I had dollars would be into BDSM.

We turned around the corner in the hallway, and opened the door into the Dream Boutique. Cal and Hal were there, casually perusing a rack of porn magazines. They met my eye for a fraction of a second, before setting down their props and casually strolling over to us.

Hal

I had to give it to Bomber and Susan. They had delivered the package, already cuffed and gagged, into our waiting hands. I had the paperwork tucked into the back of my shirt if anyone objected to us carrying this guy off, but the only other people in there were the clerks, so we weren't expecting any trouble.

I sidled over to the group, trying not to be distracted by how good Stephanie looked. Ranger was one lucky bastard. I tapped my wire, but Williams ignored me until I grabbed his arm.

"Martin Williams, you are in violation of your bond. I have authorization from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to bring you in for failing to appear for your court date."

He struggled, but I picked him up and threw him over my shoulder. With his arms cuffed behind his back and his mouth gagged, it was easier than trying to pick up one of Tank's cats to bring it to the vet. The clerk started to object, but I pulled out the paperwork, and Stephanie grabbed it and held it open to the man, explaining what it was, and what Williams had done. After 30 seconds he nodded, by which point I was already mostly out of the door.

Less than 90 seconds after he had walked into the store, Martin Williams was cuffed on the floor of our van, ready to be delivered to the cops. I tapped my wire, "Package acquired and secured. Mission accomplished."

I love it when a plan comes together.


	63. Chapter 63 Consequences

_Recap: Stephanie, Ranger, and the others plan and execute a takedown at a swinger's club. Ranger, Tank, and Lester are all dealing with other situations while the apprehension happens, leaving Stephanie, Bobby, and Bobby's date Susan to carry it out. They maneuver the FTA into a sex shop connected to the club, where Hal and Cal grab him and carry him off._

Ranger

I was speaking with Natasha when I saw Stephanie look down at her leg like something was wrong. Bobby and Susan went over to her, and didn't look worried, so I pushed down my protective instincts and kept talking with Natasha. We might have come from different hemispheres, but there are things all immigrants have in common.

We were talking about the absurd cost of American weddings when I saw Williams go over to Stephanie. I kept talking to Natasha, but made sure to flick my eyes over every few seconds to keep track of what was going on. The music was so loud it was hopeless to try to overhear anything being said, I could barely hear what was being said a few feet away from me.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" I said as I saw Stephanie, Susan, Bobby and Williams walk towards the door that led to the sex shop. His hands were already handcuffed and he was wearing a gag, Babe had certainly come through. I turned Natasha subtly so she wouldn't see what was going on by dipping my ear in her direction so she was speak directly into it.

"I said, the amount Martin spent on the wedding would have fed my hometown for a month. Fancy food, fancy clothes, hundreds of guests, and I didn't know anyone except my parents and sister." She stopped then. "I shouldn't complain, it was a lovely wedding, and I should be grateful."

"It was just a little much?"

She nodded. "I hadn't even recovered from the… um, plane time?"

"Jet lag". I knew it well. It wasn't too bad after coming home from trips to South America, but could be a real beast after a trip to Asia, Africa, or Europe. I imagine it was also bad traveling to Australia, but the US Government didn't perform many operations there. Not since that incident during the Vietnam War with the Prime Minister disappearing into the sea. Though that had never been confirmed. "Try eating spicy food to help you stay awake, and kiwi fruit to get to sleep."

She smiled at me. "Do you like spicy food?" she asked, trailing a single finger down my arm.

Hal's voice rang in my ear. " _Package acquired and secured. Mission accomplished_." We had succeeded. Depending on lights, the club was 3-4 minutes away from the highway, at which point even if there _were_ any guards waiting in the parking lot, it would be impossible for them to stop us. I looked at Natasha. We had figured she could get home when the guards came to pick her and Williams up, but it seemed cruel to just leave her here for hours while she didn't know where her husband had gone. I decided to let her know, once we had him a safe distance away. At least she wouldn't be frantically trying to find him.

"I'm Cuban, it comes with the territory. Hot climate, hot food..."

"Hot men." she said, and stepped forward to kiss me. I hesitated a moment. It was important that she not raise any alarm, we didn't want any guards that might be nearby getting a call. She wouldn't have a cell on her at the moment, but she might have checked hers at the front desk, or ask to use their phone.

I gave her a kiss on the cheek, then whispered in her ear "Could I have a dance?"

She looked puzzled, but acquiesced. It was an upbeat tempo, and as we spun on the floor I could tell she was looking for her husband. Her head swiveled around and she peered into corners. As the song ended Hal's voice came over my com again. " _We're on the highway, free and clear. See you back in Trenton after the drop off."_

I pulled her to the side in the quietest place I could find.

"Natasha, I have to tell you something."

"Yes?" she said, batting her eyes at me.

"I'm a bond enforcement agent. My partners just arrested your husband."

She looked panicked and upset and about to bolt.

"We aren't going to hurt you," I said, trying to calm her down. "But he was supposed to show up for court weeks ago and didn't. You aren't in any trouble. If you want, I can call you a cab to come take you home."

She stared numbly, sat down in a nearby chair, then looked at me with accusation in her eyes. "I thought you liked me. Were you just using me?"

"I do like you, you seem like a really nice person. But I had a job to do, and my feelings didn't enter into it." I saw Stephanie re-enter the club, Bobby and Susan were with her, Williams obviously wasn't. "Besides, my heart belongs to someone else." _Along with my body and soul._

Natasha stood up, lifted her chin defiantly, and glared at me. "I'll get my phone and call myself a ride." As she walked away she looked back at me. "I hope you're proud of yourself, using another person, making them think you like them, while you are plotting to steal their husband away and send him to jail."

Honestly, I wasn't. It didn't change anything though. Williams belonged in jail, no matter how nice his wife was.

Stephanie came over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Mission accomplished. The night is young, want to enjoy the fact that we're here?"

I shook my head. "Let's get the others and go home. We have a big couple days ahead of us."

I went to go find Santos, a small pit of guilt sitting in my stomach.

Stephanie

I stared into the faces of a dozen men, their eyes hard and cold, their faces filled with anger. I don't know exactly what I believe about souls, but I'm pretty sure none of these men had them.

I looked away from the laptop screen and rubbed my eyes, trying to keep them from watering. Agent Mankiller had me looking at photos of all known leaders in local white supremacist movements, and it was depressing.

"How's the face memorization going?" she asked from across the conference table.

"These people look so angry. What the hell is wrong with them?"

Mary shrugged. "The world used to belong to white men, and they see other groups getting equality as an attack on them, rather than an evening of the playing field. I sometimes have to spend hours a day on their message boards, looking for threats, but considering what happened to my people, I really can't feel too sympathetic."

Yeah. The Cherokee, all Native Americans really, had suffered a lot more than these people had. "I need a break. These faces are all blurring together, especially since they all have the same haircut."

She nodded. "And they may wear disguises. Sunglasses, hats, hoodies. Look for people with a different mood, different energy. Most of the people attending will be thrilled. If someone is there to cause trouble, they'll likely be suppressing annoyance at hearing things they don't like, surrounded by people they hate. These folks generally aren't Academy Award-winning actors."

"So exactly what roll will I have?"

Mary handed over a sheet of paper with a list of Rangeman staff who would be working at the rally. Hal, Lester, Binkie, Zip, and a few others I didn't really know would all be on crowd duty. Ram was a sniper. Bobby would be at the first-aid tent. I was marked as "Crowd, Civilian Clothes". At the bottom, Tank and Ranger were listed as "POTUSRLG."

"Are Tank and Ranger taking care of alphabet soup?"

Mary smiled and shook her head.

"The government likes acronyms. That particular one is President of the United States, Rope Line Guard. They will be with Obama when he inevitably decides to go shake hands."

 _Holy Shit_


	64. Chapter 64 Preperation

_We see how Ranger was interacting with their target's wife during the takedown, and Stephanie finds out Ranger will be at the President's side at the rally._

Ranger

I walked into the conference room where Stephanie and Mary were sitting. They were pouring over a large diagram and going over details. Steph turned to look at me, a huge smile on her face. "Hey Ranger. Have you seen the final assignments?"

I smiled back at her. I was doing that so often now. The military spent years training me to hide every emotion, and it was all undone by a smiling brunette. I might have to practice my impassive face before tomorrow. Can't look intimidating with a giant grin.

"I haven't. Want to share?"

She was smiling so hard I thought it must hurt. "You're guarding the President while he's on the rope line." she squealed. I was pleased as much by her reaction as by the job assignment. Having her be so excited for me amped up my own feelings. Sure, I had done many jobs that were more difficult, and that used my skills more, but the privilege of guarding the President was still…

"This is so _neat!_ " she burst out, giving me a giant hug. My eyes swung to Mary, who seemed to be trying to hide her own smile. Stephanie's enthusiasm was infectious, even for people as hardened as us.

I gave her a peck on the head, then pulled back to look her in the eyes. "Rangeman got quite a check last night, in no small part thanks to you and your quick thinking. I was wondering if you would like to go spend a bit of it on a nice dinner tonight? There's a great French place in Hamilton Township that Tank has been raving about."

Stephanie looked at me in surprise. "Tank eats French food? I figured he survived on wheat germ and broiled chicken."

"You'd be surprised. Tank is quite the foodie. Always knows the best restaurants. He used to cook for everyone sometimes when he was living here. He'd take over Ella's kitchen and whip up some exotic food from a country where he had been stationed."

"I don't suppose he was ever stationed in Italy?"

"No. but you'd be amazed at how well he cooks Pakistani food."

She smiled at me again. "Dinner out sounds great. When should I be ready by?"

I looked at Mary. "How much more work do you two have? Will she be done by 4?"

Mary nodded. "We've gone over most of what we need to already. This should be over in a few hours."

I nodded. "How about we meet at 5? We don't want too late a night, since we have to get up early for the rally tomorrow."

Mary seemed impatient to get back to work, and went back to pointing at the diagram in front of her. I sat down to look at it too.

Stephanie

I looked at the map, trying to absorb every detail. I was thrilled for Ranger, and nervous for myself. What if I didn't do a good job? What if I missed something? What if I missed something and someone got hurt?

 _Focus Stephaine. Pay attention._ I looked down at the map while Mary explained.

:-:-:

\+ Stage ++ Tower/ |  
\+ ++ Beast |  
\+ ++ |` +```````````````````````````````````````````x`o+````````````+  
`-+/-...:/:x...  
``.-.. Roped Off `.-.`

``-...` `...-.``

VIP Crowd

-.  
General Crowd

"The President and other Elected Officials will be on stage for the rally. He'll leave the Beast, his armored car, here under this tower. There will be curtains around the base of it, creating an enclosed space so he's not visible from outside the secured area. That will reduce the risk of sniper attacks. A semi-circular space in front of the stage will be roped off. There will be Secret Service every 15 feet here watching the crowd, Frank will be with them. Ranger, you and Tank wait here with the agents at the bottom of the stage, and when POTUS comes down into the crowd, walk with him. You'll be joined by 2 other agents. Tank, you walk in front, Ranger, behind. The agents will be directly next to POTUS."

"Why are Tank and Ranger with the President when there are so many agents there already?"

Many raised an eyebrow at Ranger, who cleared his throat uncomfortably. "A few things. I offered a discount for our services, and pulled a few strings. I wasn't 100% sure that we'd get the assignment, but I'm pleased we did. Also, Tank and I have done things like this before, but I can't tell you anymore than that."

Well now I was curious. "Not even if I say pretty please?"

He shook his head solemnly. "Sorry Babe, it's classified. I'll see you in a few hours."

Then he kissed me on the top of my head, and was gone.

"Wow, I barely saw him leave. Does he do that a lot?" Mary asked, looking around her.

"You get used to it." I replied, and sat back down at the table.

Ranger

I left the conference room and headed down to the garage, double checking the address scribbled on a sticky note that Bobby had given me. He might not be a full doctor, but he had obviously studied handwriting at the same place. I climbed into my Porsche, programmed the GPS, and pulled out of the garage. I had an appointment to keep.

I pulled into a parking spot in front of an old white townhouse. The streets of the small suburban community were quiet on a Sunday, the college students who would normally be wandering around were nowhere to be seen. I climbed out, beeped the car shut, and ascended the stairs to the second story of the narrow building.

I was met at the top of the staircase by a blonde woman with short hair and a kind face. "Carlos Manoso?" she asked, extending a hand.

"Ranger is fine."

"Ranger then. Would you like to have a seat?"

I looked in the room where she directed me. There was an overstuffed couch against the wall, but behind the couch was a window. The wall closest to the hall had two doors, with a bookcase containing a combination of books and toys on it, and a dollhouse next to it on the between them. Two comfortable chairs were in the middle of the room, facing the couch. The back wall had a desk with a computer, some filing cabinets, and a clear view of another window. This room was set up to make most people feel comfortable. Unfortunately, I'm not most people. None of the chairs had a back to the wall, at least, not one that didn't have glass in clear sight. If I was going to relax here, I needed to change the seating arrangement.

"Would you mind if I moved some things around?" I asked, hoping she would understand.

"Sure" the woman said. "Do you need help…"

Her voice faded as I picked up the easy chair, turned, and placed it in front of the second door, keeping my back to the wall as much as possible, and out of sight from the two windows from all but the most extreme angle. It wasn't perfect, but it was the most secure I was going to feel in that room.

After blinking a few times at the display of raw lifting ability, she scooched the other chair across the floor so that she would be facing me. "If you're feeling comfortable now Ranger, would you like to begin your treatment?"

I nodded, looking more confident than I felt.

 _Bobby, what the hell have you gotten me into?_


	65. Chapter 65 Memories

_While I'm taking some artistic licence on how much you can do in one session, what happens next is a pretty accurate description of a real therapy._

Ranger

I looked around the room again. I was as secure as I was going to feel. "How does this work? And how much did Bobby tell you?"

She dragged over an ottoman so she was sitting close to me. "He said that you were having panic attacks in public, losing at least some awareness of your surroundings. You have an important job tomorrow you need to be at your best for, so you're hoping you can prevent the possibility of something triggering another one."

I nodded. That was the jist of it. "Are you going to hypnotize me? Lots of the things I've done and seen are classified. I have to be in control of what I tell you."

"You're going to be relaxed, but fully conscious of what you are saying." She went to her desk and fetched a small tripod and a long black bar with diodes on it. "Here's how it works," she said as she started setting it up. "When we experience trauma, our brain remembers everything around us. It's a defence mechanism, so we can avoid those things in the future. What EMDR does is take a traumatic event from your long term memory and put it into your short-term memory by talking about it. While you are doing that, a light moves from side to side on this bar. We don't know exactly why, but moving your eyes back and forth rapidly helps you process those experiences, much like REM-sleep dreams. You don't forget the experience, but it's no longer keeping you from functioning. It can't hurt you anymore."

That sounded reasonable to me. Dr Burke then asked me a bunch of questions about traumatic events in my life, especially ones where I felt helpless or worthless. We narrowed it down to three events to work on today. She flipped a switch on the bar, and a light zig-zagged back and forth on it, like a brightly colored ping-pong ball. _Left, right, left, right._

"I want you to tell me what happened that day when you felt helpless."

 _Left, right, left, right._

I was on a flight coming back from Miami. The plane had sat on the runway for an interminable length of time, so I was already late getting home. We were two hours out when I got a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong. I scanned all the other passengers, the crew, my FTA staring out the window in the seat next to me, but nothing had changed. Nothing to account for the feeling of dread creeping up on me. It got worse minute by minute as the plane slowly crept towards the Newark airport. I glanced at my watch. The time was creeping by more slowly the closer we got to landing.

 _Left, right, left, right._

After two hours that felt like 12 the wheels dropped and we finally hit the ground. I pulled out my phone and turned it on before we were given permission, but I really didn't care. There were 3 missed calls from Stephanie and a text from Tank that simply said "Call me when you land."

I hit the speed dial, praying it was something simple, something that I could easily fix. Something unrelated to those missed calls. "Report."

"Bomber's been off the grid for at least an hour. She went to Stiva's funeral home, and the bike is still there, but we can't find her. Hal said she left and was planning to come back. When she didn't, he alerted me and we started looking for her."

 _Left, right, left, right._

"What have you found?"

"She isn't in the funeral home. We've sent out feelers, but we didn't want to do anything too public before talking to you. It's possible she got a lead somewhere close enough to the funeral home that she walked, or tried to shake her tail. She's done that sometimes."

That knot in my stomach got tighter. Something had happened to her, I knew it. I'd known it for two hours. We'd already missed the golden hour that was the best chance of getting someone back alive after a kidnapping.

 _Left, right, left, right._

"Pull out all the stops. Everyone is on this. Every employee, contractor, guy who applied a couple years ago, old buddy living in the Tri-state area, anyone." I couldn't lose her. I'd come so close to getting her back in bed with me. Once that happened, I'd hoped I could keep her there. And now she was missing, with a nutjob after her that had already shown he was fine with killing innocent people. I looked out the window. The plane was taxiing at about the speed of a sloth on barbitchuates. My FTA had woken, and was blinking at the harsh light.

 _Left, right, left, right._

I could hear Tank clacking away on a keyboard over the phone. "Got it Ranger. Hal pulled in a favor, the Newark police are going to meet you at the gate to grab your FTA."

Honestly, at this point I couldn't give a damn about him. I would have left him on the plane to fend for himself if he hadn't actually been a pretty dangerous guy. But I'd get him off the plane and into the cops' hands as long as it wouldn't slow me down.

 _Left, right, left, right._

10 minutes later I was in my car racing back to Trenton. I'd abandoned my checked bag with my gun, not wanting to wait to find it at baggage claim. I'd called everyone I could think of to try to find her. Lula, Connie, even her friend Mary Lue. No one knew where she was. Everyone said they would keep an eye out.

 _Left, right, left, right._

It's a 1 hour drive between Newark and Trenton. I did it in 40 minutes. When I got to Haywood I didn't even bother parking, I just drove into the garage and threw the car into park in the middle of the aisle. There are advantages to owning the building. I raced up the stairs to the 5th floor, barreling into Tank's office.

 _Left, right, left, right._

"What do we know?"

"We have people out canvassing the 'Burg, searching Stark Street, but we haven't gotten any leads."

"Where else?"

 _Left, right, left, right._

"We've searched any property owned by Constantine Sitva, Spiro doesn't have anything in his name."

"Considering he's presumed dead, that's not a surprise." Then an idea hit me. "He's presumed dead, but they didn't find a body. That's going to throw a wrench in the legal process."

 _Left, right, left, right._

Tank picked up on where I was going instantly. "It would be in probate." He grabbed the phone and pounded in a number. "Silvo, look up records of any properties that might have been in Spiro's name but that are now in probate." He waited a beat. "What do you mean you can't?" Another beat. "What fucking century are we living in?" Beat. "Shit. Tell us if you come up with something."

 _Left, right, left, right._

Tank slammed the phone down. "The property records from more than 2 years back aren't computerized yet. And it's past 5, so the office is closed."

 _Left, right, left, right._

I felt a cold pit settle into my stomach. Stephanie was missing. She had to be scared, maybe hurt. I could feel it in my bones. She was out there somewhere, and she needed me.

 _Left, right, left, right._

I stood up and went to my office. I had an address to look up.

 _Left, right, left, right._

The clerk's house was right outside the 'Burg, in a white clapboard building indistinguishable from any other one on the street. I took a deep breath. This woman had done nothing wrong, and may be the key to getting Stephanie back.

 _Left, right, left, right._

I pounded on the door, and a few seconds later a short woman opened it, looking like someone who had come home from work and had absolutely no intention of leaving the house until the next day. She was in a robe and bunny slippers, a half-smoked cigarette dangling from her mouth.

 _Left, right, left, right._

"Ms. Socrata?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

 _Left, right, left, right._

"Yes. Can I help you?" she replied, looking at me warily.

 _Left, right, left, right._

I pulled out my bounty hunter badge and flashed it. It had no legal weight, but it sometimes helped grease the wheels. "I need your help locating a property that is in probate."

She looked at me like I had grown a second head. "And you had to come to my house for that? We open tomorrow at 8:30." She went to close the door. I braced my arm against it. I was keenly aware of the gun in my back waistband.

 _Left, right, left, right._

"Please." I said it quietly, plaintively, with a hint of desperation in my voice. "It's a matter of life and death. I wouldn't bother you if it wasn't."

 _Left, right, left, right._

"This is ridiculous." She went to shut the door, and I decided playing nice wasn't going to be fast enough.

 _Left, right, left, right._

"I don't have time to explain. I need you to come, and I need you to come now." and I pulled the gun out.

 _Left, right, left, right._

The house was 15 minutes away. As I had suspected, it had been stuck in probate while Spiro's status was unknown. I raced there, Tank right on my heels. When I got there, I didn't even bother with picking the lock. I kicked the door open, and burst in, Tank, Hal, and Cal right on my heels. We started methodically tearing the place apart. When I turned on the light in the kitchen I saw a cabinet with some shelves stacked beneath it and a locked chain wrapped around the handles. I made a beeline for it, each second on the kitchen clock passing as if it were an eternity.

Tick. _Left, right, left, right._

I turned to the cabinet and took a long stride, starting to pray. _Please, please let her be OK._

Tock. _Left, right, left, right._

While I was tempted to shoot the lock off, I didn't want to risk either injuring or scaring her. _She's such a good person. The world needs her._

Tick. _Left, right, left, right._

I pulled out my lock-picking kit from a pocket, jamming the tension rod in far harder than I normally would. _I need her to be OK._

Tock. _Left, right, left, right._

The lock was a simple one, probably meant for a suitcase. But my hands were shaking so much I couldn't even get the picks inside. _I'll do anything._

Tick. _Left, right, left, right._

In frustration I yanked the lock down, shattering the simple mechanism. The momentum not only opened the chain, but pulled the cabinet doors open as well.

Tock. _Left, right, left, right._

I saw her for a moment, stuffed into the cramped space with her shackled legs above her and her arms pinned underneath. With the door open Stephanie tumbled out into the void and my heart stopped. _I'm too late. This is all my fault. I should never have left town while someone was threatening her. I should never have told her to stir things up, or even encouraged her to become a bounty hunter. If it weren't for me, you'd still be alive. I'm so sorry Babe, I'm so sorry._

Tick. _Left, right, left, right._

Instinctively I reached out to catch her. The ' _ooff_ ' she let out when she crashed into me was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. I stood her up, gripping her tightly while staring into her endless blue eyes. Eyes I hadn't been sure I would see again. Time went back to normal, the the releaf the flooded through me was an actual physical sensation.

"I saw you folded up in there, and I thought you were dead," _I'd been sure she was dead. That losing her was the punishment for everything I had done_.

Tank and Hal went to work loosening her bonds, I just stared at her, drinking her in, and trying not to remember the reality of our situation. _She's not yours Manoso. She belongs to another. No matter how much you want her, you can't have her._

"It's not Spiro," she said. "It's Con, and he's coming back to kill me. If we hang around we can catch him."

For a moment, just a moment, I let myself imagine just running away with her. Taking her back to Haywood and locking the door. But there were things that needed to be done, and I couldn't worry about her while doing them. I'm not proud of what I did next, but it was necessary.

I lifted her injured wrist to my lips and kissed gently. "I'm sorry to have to do this to you, but there's no _we_. I've just had six _really_ bad hours looking for you. I need to know you're safe. Sitting in this house waiting for a homicidal undertaker doesn't feel safe." And I put the handcuff back on her arm, making sure to avoid the cuts. "You've had enough fun for one day."

I attached other cuff to Tank, startling him as much as her.

"What the . . ." Tank said.

"Take her back to the office and have Ella tend to her wrists and then take her to Morelli," I told Tank.

And Stephanie, stubborn as ever, pulled away. "No way!"

I looked at my second in command, the man I had trusted with my life dozens of times over. "I don't care how you do it. Pick her up. Drag her. Whatever. Just get her out of here and keep her safe. And I don't want those bracelets to come off either of you until you hand her over to Morelli."

Stephanie looked livid, which didn't surprise me much. "I'm staying."

Tank stared at me, trying to decide if I had lost my damn mind. I had, I'd spent 6 hours _completely_ out of my mind, and I needed to know she was safe, no matter how mad it made her.

I also knew Stephanie well enough to know a fight would take precious time we might not have. "Please," I asked, hoping I could get her to see things through my eyes, even if just for a night.

"Okay," she finally said, sounding deflated "Be careful. He's insane."

Tank and Hal left with her, and returned an hour later, having delivered her to Morelli's door. Once again I was doing to work to protect her while he got all the benefits. I didn't know if I should be pissed, jealous, or both.

Tank and I hid in the kitchen while Hal stake out the front door. I got back into what Stephanie calls my zone, trying to decide what the hell I was going to do with her, me, my whole life. I'd had a plan. Get training in special forces. Earn money doing skip tracing until I had enough saved to start the company we'd all talked about when we were on deployment. Become a respectable businessman in the community, keep to myself, and see Julie a couple of times a year. Simple. And then a crazy-haired Babe named Stephanie Plum tore my plans apart.

We waited for an hour and a half in the dark house, when the hum of the garage door broke the suburban silence. We crept to either side of the door, waiting for him to come in through the house.

The crash was all the louder for the silence we had been sitting in. Tank and I raced into the garage, only to see the whale of a car Stephanie drove ramming again into Stiva's sedan. Then she got out, looked at her car, pulled the fluffy mop she called a dog out, and brought it to pee on the lawn.

Anger, relief, and incredulity wared in my brain as I stared at her, trying to figure out what to say. In the end, there was only one word that could cover it all. "Babe".


	66. Chapter 66 Hawaii

_My keyboard is dying, I'll double check, but please forgive any missing or double letters, esspecialls d,k,n,and m. Writing without them really is a pain. Thanks to Melyons for pushing me to update. It's not unusual for a review to prod me into actually finishing a chapter and getting it up._

 _Recap: Ranger goes to a phycologist for a therapy called EMDR, and he retells the story of when Constantine Stiva kidnapped Stephanie._

I stopped talking, turned away from the light bar, and blinked. I felt oddly relaxed, considering how I had just be reliving one of my most stressful memories.

"How do you feel?" Dr. Burke asked.

"Surprisingly good, considering."

"On a scale on one to ten, with one being not bothered, and ten being the most stress you can imagine, where does this memory fall now?"

I pondered, and thought back to the events: the plane ride where I knew something was wrong, the frantic calls, the two heartbeats when I thought Stephanie was dead. Before the session started it was a nine. Now?

"About a two. I know why it upset me, I have a memory of what I was feeling, but I can think about it without my muscles tensing up, or my heart rate rising. That's amazing." I looked at my watch, only about half an hour had passed. "I thought dealing with shit like mine would take months."

"EMDR is extremely effective. It's not the end-all be-all for therapy, but it should help your flashbacks."

"How did they figure out it worked?"

"Believe it or not, by accident. A phycologist walking in the woods one day noticed her negative emotions lessened as her eyes moved back and forth, and she discovered that having her patients do the same thing helped their PTSD symptoms."

I pondered for a moment. "Could it work while driving? I go into what my girlfriend calls my 'zone' when I'm in the car. I'm checking the road for obstacles, tails, escape routes, so my eyes are darting all over. You would think that would be tiring, but somehow I always feel more relaxed afterwards. I always thought it was the hum of road noise or something."

"You may have stumbled onto the same basic idea on your own. Would you like to continue?"

I nodded. Though this memory wouldn't be a time I lacked control, but a time I lost it. I turned to the light bar again _left, right, left, right,_ and fell into memory.

The sun shone bright on my face as I rolled onto my back, basking in the glow of the sun as it began its descent into the ocean. I pulled Stephanie into my lap, still panting from the 8th orgasm I'd given her today. Her arms floated lazily in the water of our private spa, playing with the small waves made by the jets. She nuzzled her nose into the base of my neck, making happy mewing noises as her muscles relaxed against me.

 _Left, right, left, right._

"I wish we never had to leave here." Stephanie said wistfully. I agreed. I'd done some mental math while watching her play in the ocean. Between the money I had saved up and income from Rangeman, I could afford for us to buy a beachfront home in Tahiti or some other South Pacific nation. We could live there in relative affluence, spending our days in seclusion on the beach, and our nights in seclusion in the bedroom. It seemed such a silly idea, but so tempting after the life of violence and suspicion I had led.

 _Left, right, left, right._

A harsh growl broke the mood, originating from the brunette in my lap.. Stephanie looked embarrassed, but I just laughed. "Let's feed the beast. What do you want for dinner?"

She playfully nipped at my ear. "Cuban."

She'd already had that for breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, and tea time. "I'm serious, do you want to go out? This resort must have at least one restaurant we haven't tried yet."

"I'm sure it does. But let's order in."

 _Left, right, left, right._

45 minutes later we were showered, dressed, and starving. I was in the bathroom when I heard the door knock. "I'll get it" Stephanie called as she padded over the the door and opened it. I quickly finished washing my hands to join her. Instead of the clank of a room service cart there was silence, and as I rounded the corner I saw why.

Instead of a sharply dressed bellhop, Morelli stood in the door, his mouth open and his eyes filled with fury.

 _Left, right, left, right._

I know how to handle myself in a fight, but it's a lot easier to fight someone you _want_ to hurt. Keeping a jealousy-crazed trained cop off you without hurting him is much trickier, and I didn't want to get charged with assaulting an officer. I depend on a friendly relationship with the Trenton PD in order to run my business, so even if no jury would convict me, that didn't mean I didn't have to be careful.

He got in a few good blows as I struggled to keep him away from me. In the back of my mind I could hear Stephanie screaming at us both to stop. It didn't calm either of us down. He because even more enraged, and I let years worth of resentment come flooding out of me. Years where I had trained her, protected her, saved her life only to drop her off at his door at the end of the night. I told myself it was better, that I couldn't give her what she wanted, but it was bullshit. This man beating me didn't deserve her, and I was sick of it.

 _Left, right, left, right._

I spun away from his next blow, swept his foot out from under him, and used his momentum to bring him down to his knees. From there it was easy to get his arm twisted behind his back and to push him down into the plush carpet.

"You think you can just walk in here and take everything, don't you?" I whispered harshly in his ear, too quietly for Stephanie to hear us over her plaintive cries for us to stop. "You had your chance, but you just had to butt in here and fuck up everything, didn't you?"

I pushed my knee into his back, causing him to grunt in pain along with the cursing. I was starting to see red. It flashed through my mind how easy it would be to just end it here. Take out the competition. He wasn't good enough for her, he was a leach who was benefiting from _my_ work, and advancing his career on how Stephanie and I often solved his cases while he took the credit. So for a second, just a second, I wanted him gone.

 _Left, right, left, right._

My thoughts were cut short by a cold prick against my neck, then a sharp pain, then a feeling of falling. I could hear Stephanie crying as I slipped into unconsciousness.

My memories aren't clear about what happened next. I could feel myself being pulled into a car by someone in a bellhop uniform with whispered conversation in the background.. Then I saw flashes of palm trees through the windows. Again I heard tears, but I couldn't see Stephanie, let alone comfort her. Finally I was lifted out in front of a large white building by people I eventually realized were hospital staff. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the same thing happening to Morelli. By the time I regained enough awareness to try to call Stephanie, her phone was going straight to voicemail.

 _Left, right, left, right._

It took a couple hours to get cleared to leave the hospital. Morelli was already gone, I'd been shocked close to my spinal cord, so it took longer for me to recover. When I got back to the resort her things were gone, her clothes, her toiletries, the return ticket. The only thing that remained was the ring I had given her. I'd told her I'd bought it at a pawn shop, but in reality it was my grandmothers. I looked around at the disheveled room, chairs knocked over from the fight, and wondered how everything had gone from perfect to shit so quickly.

 _One more of these scenes. Any other moments from the books you'de like to see from Ranger's point of view, or should I have an original scene?_


	67. Chapter 67 Sacrifice

_Yes. It has been far too long. I tried something a bit too ambitious for this chapter, completely retelling book 12 from Ranger's POV. It was a bigger task than I can really do at the moment. So I'll give a sparser recap, and if I get the urge sometime I'll do it as a separate piece, so make sure to follow me as an author, not just the story._

 _Recap: The day before guarding the President, Ranger relives his time in Hawaii with the therapist in a effort to deal with his PTSD. We see a little of the tension inside of him between keeping himself away from Stephanie and his jealousy of Morelli._

"That must have been very difficult for you, having her leave Hawaii like that." Dr Burke said.

I'd been so absorbed in my story I'd almost forgotten that I was talking to another person. "I told myself she was better off with him, but he was so damn smug about it. But I shouldn't have lost control. That's one of the first things they teach you, how to control strong emotions."

"We can't control emotions forever. Eventually they come out. Did you and Stephanie ever talk about what happened?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I'm not one for sharing my feelings." And my feeling weren't fair to her. At least that's what I told myself over and over.

"We have time for one more. Are you up to it?"

I nodded. "I didn't think anything could be worse than losing Stephanie. I was wrong."

It was a normal day until I got the call from Silvio. "Boss, we've had a hit from your imposter. This time in Miami."

I had an office in Miami, and a reputation. Having this guy pretend to be me in Virginia was one thing. Anyone there who needed to know about me already did, mostly old Army contacts. Miami was different. It was a place where my reputation got me new clients, so a damaged it there would hurt my business. Time to take him down.

"Charter a flight for me. I have a quick errand, then I'll fly right down."

 _Left, right, left, right._

I didn't tell Steph why I was leaving town, just that it was bad. I regretted that later. Luckily having a private flight under an assumed name meant that I landed in Miami without anyone officially knowing I was there. We had just landed when I got a call from Tank.

"Boss, someone's taken Julie, and the cops think you did it."

 _Left, right, left, right._

My blood went cold. I hadn't spent much time with Julie, I'd kept my distance, but still, she was my child. And now that fact had put her in danger.

 _Left, right, left, right._

I called Rachel from a scrambled phone. Untraceable.

"You know it wasn't me who took Julie."

"I know," she said, her voice tight with tension and panic. "I told the FBI as much."

"Can you put me on the phone with the agent?"

 _Left, right, left, right._

I stood outside Stephanie's apartment, strapping on a vest. She was in there, and Julie was in there. I didn't have a choice. Morelli was nearby, running his hands through his hair every few seconds and pacing in a small circle. We had an ambulance and police, but no flashing lights. Nothing that might tip Scrog off.

"You don't have to do this. We can set up a sniper in a tree across the street." the FBI agent told me while checking the straps on the vest. "Or we can send in a team."

I shook my head. "They are _my_ responsibility." _My Fault. All my fault. Both of them are in danger because of me._

 _Left, right, left, right._

I covered the vest with a shirt cut loose enough to hide it.

"Vests aren't perfect. They can only take so much damage before they break. And they don't cover everything."

 _Left, right, left, right._

"I know. I've been shot before." The agent didn't know me well enough to realize I had just snapped at him in an unusual loss of temper. I look a deep breath, turned to the building, and carefully pushed walked in the door.

It's about 20 feet from the outside door to the stairway, 12 steps up, and another 5 feet from the stair exit to her door. I had done it hundreds of time, always with anticipation. Now it was dread that tightened my stomach. Each step seemed to take an eternity, but still, in just a few moments I was standing in front of the door. I normally just picked the lock, but this time I used the key Morelli had given me so I wouldn't have to bend down to get in. I had considered bursting in and taking out Scrog, but with both Stephanie and Julie in the room it was too much of a risk. So I walked in, hands up.

 _Left, right, left, right._

Stephanie was taped to a chair in front of me. Julie was off to the side, slumped over in a stupor Even seated I could see she had grown a few inches. I took all that in before meeting Stephanie's eyes, wanting to let her know she's be OK. Then I looked at Scrog.

He fired. Three rounds that felt like getting punched with a hard fist. Then a fourth that was different. Sharp and localized instead of dull and spread out. Then a pain in my neck, another in my shoulder. I fell, feeling the blood flow across my skin. Odd how it feels so normal flowing against the inside and so horrible against the outside. The room darkened. A scream. A yell of "No!", a blast, and another body fell beside me.

 _Left, right, left, right._

The rest of the night was a blur. A flashlight in my eyes. The tiny prick of an IV. Screaming from Stephanie. Screams of fear, not pain. She was alright then. I remember being strapped to a gurney and lifted, then the rocking of the ambulance. Julie was there, stone faced. Both my girls were OK. Whatever happened to me, at least I knew that.

Tank was there at the hospital, as well as everyone not on duty. I looked at him, my eyes telling him to keep Julie with him until her mother got here. He had to hold her back from running into the OR with me. Then a new mask over my face, and blackness.

 _Left, right, left, right._

"That's quite a story."

I looked at the quiet woman before me. "There's more to the story, but I didn't think we had time."

"Was your daughter OK?"

I nodded. "A little shaken up. She didn't kill Scrog. I'm glad of that, for her sake, not his."

"She sounds like a very resilient little girl. I imagine she gets that from you."

"Her mother too. I mostly provided the genes and an occasional check."

I looked at my watch. "I need to get back."

"We're supposed to talk about how you feel about these experiences, and how your body reacts when you remember them."

"I'm sure we are. But I have to get back. I do feel much better though. Lighter." And I did. Surprisingly so. As if the 2 ton weight on my shoulders had been reduced by a couple hundred pounds.

I wrote a check and headed down to my car. On the drive back I made a conscious effort to sweep my eyes back and forth, letting the rhythm of the highway relax me.

Stephanie

I was on 7 working at the dining room table when I heard the door open. I turned around to see Ranger almost on top of me.

"Hey Honey, how was your….."

His lips pressed down on mine, his tongue probing. I tilted my head and opened my mouth, inviting him in. I wrapped my arms around his neck as his scooped me up, carrying me to the couch a few feet away.

"You are so wonderful. The most important person in my life" he said as he sat me on the couch, kneeling in front of me.

I had already dressed for dinner, in the blue dress I had bought the week before. And before I knew it, it was around my waist, and he had pushed my panties aside. Then he was licking me, and I tilted my head back as he stroked me gently, his fingers probing as my pussy flowered, opening for him.

I moaned as his feather-light touch carressed me, and I grabbed his head, pushing it harder into me. He redoubled his efforts, gently curling his fingers inside me.

"More!" I panted, my back arching.

"Are you sure?" he said, his voice muffled against me.

I nodded vigorously, then groaned out a "Yes!" once I realized he couldn't see my head.

"You asked for it."

I felt his pinky separate from his other fingers and trail backwards, slick with my juices. I tensed for a moment as I realized where it was going, then I relaxed. I had done this before, and his finger was much smaller than his dick. It probed against my ass, then gently pushed in. The nerve endings ignited, adding a whole new dimension to the sensations coursing through my body.

His mouth was on my clit, two fingers in my pussy, and one in my ass. And if felt AMAZING. I could feel the pressure building up inside me, and my breath got shallower. He cupped my cheek with his left hand, and I pulled his thumb into my mouth, sucking wildly.

"Ranger...Ranger" I moaned as I worked my way closer and closer to the edge. I bucked my hips against him, trying to thrust him deeper inside me as the pressure built. And when I couldn't take it for one more second, the orgasm came, it hit like a Mac truck. My abdomen tensed up, and I squirted all over his face.

Ranger

I was determined to show Stephanie what she meant to me, and when I saw her in my apartment I wanted nothing more than to make her cum. And Cum she did. In addition to the muscle spasms and cries of pleasure came a stream of liquid that didn't smell or taste like urine. It seemed close to water.

"Oh God, Ranger I'm so sorry!" she squeaked. But I wanted her far to much to let a little think like being wet slow me down.

"All good Babe." I pulled my left hand from her face. Lifting my shirt over my head and wiping my face, then letting it slide down my right arm, since my right hand was still inside her.

I released my button and fly, my dick springing forth like Athena from Zeus's head. "Do you still want me?"

She wrapped her legs around my hips, yanking me closer to her. I gently removed my fingers from her pussy, but left the pinky in place and put my thumb on her clit. Then I pushed in, feeling her muscles clamp down on me with each thrust. Her powerful legs held me into her, so I could barely pull out enough to thrust in again. I buried my face in her breasts, still covered by the dress, until I shuddered, felt my own wave crest, and spilled into her, collapsing in a heap across her body.


	68. Chapter 68 The Day Of

_Recap: Ranger retells the story of book 12, where Steph is kidnapped by Scrogg. Then he comes home and has sex with her on the couch._

Stephanie

My stomach was in knots as the first light of dawn slunk in through the curtains. I'd slept fitfully for hours, nervous about the job we were doing today. Had it only been two weeks since I'd heard about it? I glanced at the calendar on the wall. October 31, 2016. It was only 13 days since Ranger had pinned me to the wall in the alley, and whispered in my ear about protecting the president.

"Babe?" came a soft voice from the bed. "Are you OK?"

"Just a little nervous. Not every day you protect the leader of the free world." I tried to sound lighthearted, but I'm not sure how well I managed it.

"You'll do great. You can shower first, I'll order breakfast."

The day was crisp and clear, with just enough chill in the air that it wouldn't be unpleasant to be in a large crowd of people. We were taking a last look at the security arrangements before people started arriving. Ram was up in the scaffolding tower with his snipers rifle, with the parking area for the presidential limo underneath. A rope line was in front of the stage with a barrier that looked like bicycle racks 20 feet behind it. There were similar barriers all around Eakins Oval, with guards every few feet to make sure no one tried to jump it. I recognized a few of the Rangeman employees, it looked like half the office was here.

On both sides of the oval there were lines of metal detectors. As Ranger had said, it was staffed with off-duty TSA agents. I suppose there's no better group for getting people through security quickly. I just hope they could handle the change of people being able to wear shoes. The lack of foot odor might make them queasy.

"Ready Babe?" Ranger asked as I surveyed the scene.

"Yeah. Though this kevlar is really uncomfortable. How to you stand wearing it all the time?"

I was wearing a flowing cotton shirt that was baggy enough to hide the vest, but it still chafed. Plus I looked 30 pounds heavier.

"You get used to it. Do you have any questions? I'll need to go up to the stage soon." Ranger played lightly with one of my curls while whispering in my ear.

"I'm fine. I'll see you when it's done."

He nodded, pecked me on the top of my head, and was gone.

"Seriously, how does he do that?" a voice said behind me.

"Agent Mankiller!" I said, smiling.

"Just call me Mary today. I'm incognito." She was dressed much like I was. A longsleeve cotton T and a light jacket.

"Any last minute instructions?" I asked, eying the crowd that was starting to form near the metal detectors.

"Yeah, we've moved you to the entrance. Keep an eye on people coming in. You remember what to look for?"

I nodded. "Anyone not excited, or who has a vibe different from the people around them."

"Yup. I'll be around. Good luck."

You might think that watching thousands of people get searched and wanded through security would be boring. You would be right. I watched endless lines of people step through the metal arches. Every few times someone would have something metal on them. A campaign button, a forgotten pocket knife, and occasionally steel-toed boots. Nothing threatening or out of the ordinary. The most exciting thing was a woman standing next to the line with a clipboard, looking for volunteers.

"The second best feeling in the world is when the candidate you love wins," she told the people waiting in line. "The best feeling is knowing you were a part of it. The worst is thinking 'I should have done more'. Avoid Wednesday morning regret, sign up to help Get Out The Vote!"

I couldn't help thinking I'd seen here somewhere before, but I couldn't place her, and after an hour I had her speech memorized and was starting to think I really should sign up for a shift.

My thoughts were interrupted by a loud voice. "Make way for Lula! VIP here!" I grinned and turned to see Lula sashaying through the crowd, wearing a red mini skirt, white tube top, and bright blue hair. She came up to me and enveloped me in a hug.

"Lula! I didn't know you were coming. Are you working?"

"Of course I came. Do you think I was going to miss out on this? Tank got me a ticket. I'm not working, I just came to drink in Mr Tall, Dark, and Presidential."

I grinned at Lula, then went back to scanning the crowd.

"Huh, didn't expect to see her here." Lula said.

"Who?" It seemed like half the city was in line.

"The lady with the clipboard. The one yelling at people."

"You know her? I thought she looked familiar, but I can't place her."

"That's because she's wearing normal clothes instead of lingerie. She was at the club this weekend."

"Are you sure?"

"Tank and I spent half an hour talking to her and her boyfriend. I'm sure."

I looked closer. Holy shit, Lula was right. "Small world" I said, going back to scanning the crowd.

Bobby

The medical tent is generally either really boring or really exciting. You hope for boring. Excitement usually means people getting hurt. At an event like this you usually had nothing worse than heat exhaustion, dehydration, or people that just needed to sit down for a while. With the temperature not expected to get above the low sixties, even that shouldn't be much of a problem.

Lester came in, a spring in his step. He had that excitement he always got before a job, even one that hopefully wouldn't include any action. "Is everything ready here?"

I nodded. "Cots, water, first aid, hospital on alert. There are a couple ambulances standing by if someone faints or something."

"Good, good." Suddenly Lester looked a little nervous. His eyes darted to a corner blocked off by curtains. I got the hint and walked over, settling down on a folding chair. Lester sat on the frame of the cot, his fingers fidgeting. A sure sign he was hiding something. Made him terrible at poker.

Lester jumped right in. "Is Ranger going to be OK? For this job I mean. It's so important, but if he had another attack….."

I considered what I could tell Lester without breaking medical privacy rules, but also to reassure him. I couldn't tell him that Ranger had been taking drugs to suppress his dreams, and that had thrown his psyche off balance. Now that he was off them, he hadn't had an attack. Nor could I tell him that Ranger had seen a therapist. Frankly, there was precious little I could say at all. "He should be fine. He's operated under high-stress situations plenty of times."

"I know," Lester said, hesitancy in his voice. "And yeah, the odds of him getting eaten by a jaguar here are pretty low.."

"What?" I said, confused about what jungle cats had to do with anything.

"Nevermind, just something that happened a long time ago. How sure are you that he'll be OK?"

"He'll be fine. Stop worrying and get to your post." I stood up and went back around the screen, ending the conversation.

Ranger would be fine.

Stephanie

I kept an eye out for the faces I had been studying of the local white supremacist leaders. Would they still show up after we had foiled their meetup last weekend? Or would they just give up and crawl back under the rock they came from?

3 hours into watching hundreds of people enter the energy of the crowd changed. It went from patient but happy to charged. The stage had been empty the whole time aside from random people checking on sound equipment, but now a line of sign-waving supporters climbed onto the bleachers behind the podium. The pace at the metal detectors sped up as people tried to get in before the action started, and the milling bodies in the crowd all turned to the stage, as if a magnet has been placed next to a box of pins.

Ranger

We performed one last check of the security. I ran my hands over my kevlar vest, hidden by my suit. We were all wearing bullet-resistant clothing, even POTUS. There are bullet-resistant clothes that look like regular shirts, and he was an early customer. There had been threats on his life almost constantly for 10 years, but a president can't wear a vest everywhere without looking paranoid, much as we security people might prefer it.

Everyone was in place. One last check of the radios, and we signaled the sound team to start the walk-on music.

Showtime.


End file.
